Director of Dharti Green Pvt. Ltd., Darshit Hora has redefined plant retail in Indore by creating family-friendly garden centers focused on sustainability and connection to nature. Recognized as the ‘Pride of MP’ by Dainik Bhaskar and honored by Red FM’s Achievers Award, Hora aims to instill sensitivity in plant care, prioritizing health and longevity over mere transactions.

Darshit Hora is a Director of Dharti Green Pvt. Ltd., a plants-related company based in Indore that runs garden centers and gift shops.

Established two years ago, the venture aims to be a one-stop solution in Indore for all garden needs. It offers a variety of indoor and outdoor plants, including imports from around the world, along with garden tools, fertilizers, and plant pots, all available at wholesale prices.

Dharti Green Pvt. Ltd. stands out by offering a diverse range of over 1,000 plant species across its campus, with more than 350 varieties housed in its polyhouse. The facility provides a versatile plant display system, ensuring that plants can be relocated to indoor spaces and adjusted to different weather conditions, all thanks to the specialized environment designed to support their growth.

Darshit Hora emphasizes that Dharti Green is not just a nursery but a full-fledged garden center. He notes that during his international travels, he found that the term "garden center" is more widely used, particularly in the UK, where these businesses have been passed down through generations and are run professionally. In contrast, he feels that in India, plant selling is often reduced to a mere transaction.

Darshit Hora warmly invites everyone visiting Indore to ‘Dharti Green’, a space he has thoughtfully designed as a family-friendly environment. At Dharti Green, visitors can explore a wide variety of plants, where Darshit takes pride in introducing customers to newer, unique plant varieties instead of relying solely on traditional options. Catering to all budgets, the nursery offers plants starting at as low as ₹15, alongside an exotic range imported from China, with prices ranging from ₹800 to ₹7,00,000 per plant.

Darshit sheds light on the uniqueness of these exotic plants, highlighting their impressive age of 50-60 years, with some even reaching 150-200 years, making them invaluable legacies that can be passed down through generations. However, he notes a significant difference in perspective: while countries like China treat nature as a long-term, generational investment, many Indians tend to prioritize quick returns within their own lifetimes, often lacking the patience to nurture such enduring assets.

Hora’s company has also contributed to government projects, such as turfing the dividers along the elevated highway on the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor built by the NHAI.

Highlighting some of his achievements, Darshit Hora proudly shares that his company was recognized as the ‘Pride of MP’ by Dainik Bhaskar. Additionally, Red FM honored his venture with the ‘Achievers Award’. With a vision to expand his business pan-India, Darshit aims to provide customers with unmatched convenience and accessibility.

He shares a message for the people: when gifting a plant, it's important to consider how it will thrive in a new environment. He advises against buying large plants at the outset and suggests giving the plant time to grow and adapt. Darshit Hora aims to expand the concept of boutique garden centers across India, akin to ‘gift centers’ or ‘bouquet nurseries’. Although yet to go online, Hora has already registered the domain www.dhartigreen.com. He plans to build a team in future and explore e-commerce platforms to expand his business.

When asked about his inspiration for entering this field, Darshit Hora shares that during his visits to nurseries in Indore, he noticed a lack of transparency and knowledge about plants, with varying pricing for the same species. Motivated by his deep interest in plants, Hora decided to enter this unorganized sector to bring order and standardization to the field. His vision includes labeling each plant with a price tag and QR code. Scanning the code will provide detailed information about the plant, such as its blooming season or fruit-bearing period, enhancing the buying experience.

Reflecting on his early days, Darshit Hora shares that he was born and raised in Indore, hailing from one of the region's oldest Sikh families. His grandfather served as President of the Guru Singh Sabha throughout his life. The Hora family’s first business venture was in the hospitality industry, with restaurants in the UK under the name Veer Dhara, which they started in 2009, marking 15 years in the business. Additionally, his family has been involved in mining and finance. However, Darshit’s passion led him to the plant business, which he finds close to nature and believes offers unparalleled peace. He enjoys spending time amidst plants, which brings him tranquility.

When customers visit his center to buy plants, Darshit Hora ensures they get a personalized tour of the site. He also informs them about the plant’s needs and whether  it would survive in a particular environment or not.

When asked about his role models, Darshit Hora says he draws inspiration from the late Ratan Tata, whom he admires for his selfless dedication to the nation and his remarkable diversification across industries. Hora believes that achieving even a fraction of what Ratan Tata accomplished would be a significant achievement. On a personal level, Darshit looks up to his father as a guiding figure in his life.

Darshit Hora expresses his concern about how plants are often treated merely as commodities by e-commerce platforms. Through his venture, he seeks to foster sensitivity and emotional connection in the process of delivering plants to customers. His vision is clear: prioritizing the health and well-being of plants over potential risks during transit. To avoid compromises, Hora prefers not to engage in arrangements that may harm the plants. Instead, he envisions establishing offline stores across multiple cities, ensuring customers receive fresh and healthy plants directly.

Darshit’s global experiences, including visits to China and other countries, have deeply influenced his vision. He aspires to encourage a shift in the Indian mentality towards valuing nature not just for immediate gains but as a treasure for future generations.