Goldsmith-turned-veg vendor Sanjay Rivankar is on a mission to promote seasonal, chemical-free produce

ERWIN FONSECA

SIOLIM: Sanjay Gajanan Rivankar, a goldsmith from Siolim, has made an unconventional but inspiring transition from working with gold to promoting local, seasonal, and chemical-free produce. Hailing from a goldsmith family in Bamanwaddo, Siolim, Sanjay spent much of his life in the jewellery business, following in the footsteps of his ancestors. However, during the Covid-19 pandemic, like many people, he found himself questioning his career and life choices. Today, Sanjay is fully committed to a new path—one that, while physically demanding and less lucrative, brings him a deeper sense of fulfillment.

“I have always been a goldsmith,” Sanjay recalls, “but during Covid, I had time to reflect on my life and my future. I realised that being a goldsmith, people tend to take undue advantage. They want jewellery cheap or on credit, and sometimes payments running into thousands don’t come in on time. You have to keep chasing them for money. If you have financial backing, it’s fine; otherwise, your entire budget gets shaken up. Plus, we have to be very careful with quality. These factors made me wary, and I thought it was time for a change.”

The ease and comfort of sitting in his shop all day had once seemed like an ideal life, but Sanjay began to feel that something was missing. “I wanted to do something for society. As a goldsmith, I didn’t feel I was contributing much, so after a lot of thought, I felt the right thing to do was to promote local produce and give our farmers a helping hand,” he explains.

With a new mission in mind, Sanjay initially struggled with how to begin. He carefully planned the kinds of local products he wanted to showcase and received support from his family and well-wishers. “It wasn’t just about selling local products; I wanted them to be chemical-free and as natural as possible,” Sanjay explains. His vision was inspired by the practices of past generations. “Our ancestors produced healthy, unadulterated food, and for them, serving society wasn’t just a business—it was a mission. They cared about the health and well-being of others, and I wanted to bring back that mindset.”

Sanjay admits that the transition wasn’t easy, and there were many initial challenges, but with persistence, he found his footing

. Today, he successfully sells a wide variety of local, healthy, and seasonal produce, many of which are lesser-known items that he has taken upon himself to introduce to his customers. “I make sure everything I sell is seasonal,” Sanjay emphasises. “We have different seasons for a reason, and our bodies adapt to them. Eating according to the seasons is how we stay healthy. If someone asks me for mangoes right now, I won’t have them because the Goan mango season is over. I stick strictly to what’s in season and never sell out-of-season stuff.”

For the past four years, Sanjay has become a familiar face in Siolim, selling produce from the back of his car throughout the day. But his dedication doesn’t stop there—Sanjay also travels long distances to bring the best local products to his customers. “The months of July, August, and September are when nature is at its best. There’s so much available, but some items aren’t found in Goa, so I travel to places like Dodamarg and Karnataka to get them. I keep up my motto: local, seasonal, and chemical-free.”

“For me, this is basically daily wage work. I go, get the stuff, sell it, and at the end of the day, I’m satisfied. No one takes things on credit because they see the effort I put in, travelling such distances to bring them fresh produce.”

What sets Sanjay apart from many other vendors is his extensive knowledge of the products he sells. “A lot of people claim to sell local produce, but my concept is different. It’s not just about being local; it’s also about being chemical-free and seasonal. Plus, we must be able to explain the health benefits of our items to customers.” Sanjay feels a personal responsibility to educate his buyers about the advantages of consuming seasonal and unadulterated foods.

In addition to promoting healthy eating, Sanjay is passionate about supporting Goa’s local farmers. “We have some fine farmers in Goa whose produce is entirely different from what we see in the markets. These farmers need to be promoted, and their efforts should be rewarded. The lesser-known vegetarian foods available now should be tapped and made more famous.” He points out that a shift toward vegetarianism is gaining momentum, and this is something he wholeheartedly supports.

Sanjay’s journey from a comfortable goldsmithing career to the demanding life of a local produce vendor has been a transformative one. His focus on hard work, healthy eating, and supporting local farmers has become his driving force. “In the end, it’s hard work and eating good, healthy, seasonal food that will keep us fit. We should always strive

to eat what’s available in the season. That’s how we minimize sickness and lead a healthy life,” he concludes with a sense of fulfillment that

money alone could never provide.