Laximan Wagle entered the Elite Book of Records with the longest drumstick. Other produce from his home garden.
Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
This 70-year-old resident of Aquem has made it to the Elite Book of Records with the longest drumstick grown in his home garden.
Born on March 2, 1953, Laximan Nikanth Wagle set an elite record by cultivating the longest drumstick in his home garden. Measuring an impressive 49 inches in length, this vegetable was nurtured in a bucket within Laximan’s backyard.
His dedication and skill in horticulture were recognized on May 2, 2024, when his talents were acknowledged by the Editorial Board of “Elite Book of Records”.
An elated Laximan told the media that home gardening has been his hobby over the years. His home garden plays host to a variety of vegetables, ranging from radishes, tomatoes, bottle gourd, cluster beans, tamdi bhaji et al.
“Since my childhood, I had a penchant for home gardening. We have been cultivating vegetables in our garden. We had a textile shop in the town, but even when I used to return home late in the evening, I used to go to my home garden to water the plants. The produce was used for self-consumption and we shared the surplus produce with our friends and relatives,” he said.
Laximan shot into the limelight after he cultivated a drumstick plant in a bucket instead of on the ground. “A friend of mine gave me the drumstick plant, which I planted in a bucket. Normally it takes one year for the drumstick plant to give the produce, but in this case, I came across a couple of drumsticks on the plants within 5-6 months,” he said.
He added: “We were taken aback when the drumstick nearly touched the ground and hence we decided to harvest the same. Out of curiosity, my son measured the drumstick which measured around 49 inches. It was at the suggestion of my son that it was decided to approach the Elite Group of Records. When they asked for proof, the Krishi Vigyan Kendra and Agriculture Director Neville Alfonso helped me with the certification after officers of the Agriculture Department measured the drumstick and gave the certificate stating it was measuring 49 inches.”
Laximan’s joy knew no bounds when he received a congratulatory note from the Editorial Board of the Elite Group of Records. “I was informed that the 49-inch drumstick had set a new record, which beat the previous record of a 46-inch drumstick,” he said.
