Madavag – the richest village in Asia, is not as big as you might have imagined. This village is not home to big industries or companies, still, this is the richest village in Asia. It is a small village located in Himachal Pradesh, 92 km from Shimla. The village is situated at an altitude of 7774 feet and with a population of just 2000, it is giving competition to many prosperous economies. But How? Well, this is what we will tell you in this blog. How a small village in the lap of snow-laden mountains became the richest village in Asia.
How Did Madavag Become The Richest Village In Asia?
The story of Madavag becoming the richest village in Asia starts in the early 1950s when a farmer by the name of Chaiyan Ram Mehta acquired a few apples from a village in Himachal, Kotkhai and decided to plant these apples on his own land. After the apples grew, he took those apples to a nearby market to sell them. Little did he know that he would get Rs. 8000 for those apples. This might not seem much today, but in 1954, it was quite a lot.
The word spread and after his fellow villagers got to know about this, all of them started farming apples and selling them for high profits. This is what made Madavag the richest village in Asia. It’s worth mentioning that some of the best apples in the whole world are from Himachal Pradesh. Varieties of apples like Royal Red, Dark Baron Gala, Golden Delicious and Red Velox, all hail from Himachal Pradesh.
It is estimated that the farmers in the richest village in Asia have an average annual income of somewhere between Rs. 35 lakh and Rs. 80 lakh. On average, the village generates an annual apple production worth more than Rs. 150 Crore. For this reason, residents of this village employ innovative and new techniques for a better yield. They learn about new farming techniques from experts and online courses. This is the reason why Himachal’s Madavag is the richest village in India.
Other Richest Villages in Asia Worth Visiting
Here is a quick rundown of other richest villages in Asia that are growing as the most fascinating tourist places.
1- Madhapar, Gujarat
Madhapar is a village in Gujarat that held the place of richest village in Asia until last year. The village was considered on the richest village list because it has 17 banks, and the amount of deposits in those banks is valued at somewhere around Rs. 5000 crore. This mind-blowing number is only possible because most of the people that reside in this village are either NRI’s or work in foreign countries. For example, 65% out of the Rs. 5000 crore that is deposited in those 17 banks comes from NRIs and Patels.
2- Hiware Bazar, Maharashtra
Nestled in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra, Bazar is yet another one of the richest villages in Asia that you should definitely know about. It holds a record of 60 millionaires in the village. There is hardly a family in the village that is to be stated poor. There is literally no one poor in the entire village, except for the obvious number of 2 – 3.
3. Dharnai, Bihar
Dharnai, a village located in Bihar, India, is a technologically advanced village. The electricity of the whole village depends entirely on solar power. The interesting fact is that the village was said to be without electricity straight for 30 years, but it has now outshined with solar power. Not only that it is also another richest village in Asia that set an example even for the urban areas of India.
4. Punsari, Gujarat
Punsari is a beautiful village, but the surprising thing is that villagers can also choose between a Rs 25,000 medical claim and a Rs 1 lakh accidental coverage. Punsari is another one of the richest villages in Asia. Situated in Gujarat, India, this village has a population of around 6000 people and it is wealthy in terms of urbаn facilities and management systems.
It is the first-ever village in India to become an ‘Adarsh Gram’, because of the general facilities provided in this village. The village has facilities like 24-hour Wi-Fi connectivity, solar-powered lamps, and so on, even though it is a rural village. The village has bееn mоrе dеvеlореd thаn mоst of India’s urban рlасеs.
5. Maraog, Himachal Pradesh
Maraog is also known as the Apple King and the village has definitely made its place under the richest village in Asia. Nestled in Himachal Pradesh, the main reason for its riches is that the village is a leading producer of Apples. Big companies like Tropicana and Real deal with this village. It is estimated that every farming family in the village earns up to ₹70 to ₹75 lakhs in revenue every year from their farming operations.
6. Kokrebellur, Karnataka
Located in Karnataka, Kokrebellur is a small village and the people here are truly enthusiastic about nature. The village is known for its species of birds, they are distinct and diverse. The village is also said to cure wounded birds. Apart from birds the village is also said to be the richest village in Asia and is renowned for its conservation of nature. It has more than 2000 hectares of land as a bird sanctuary and around 5000 hectares for other wildlife. Wildlife Tourism in this village is the main source of earning.
7. Shani Shingnapur, Maharashtra
Shani Shinganapur, is yet another remarkable and richest village in Asia, with a unique identity that no other place in the world has. Did you know that the village has no doors in houses? As weird as it may sound, it is the truth. It is obviously not because they can’t afford it but due to the fact that the village is extremely safe. Safe and rich, a true beauty of India. It is also believed that Shani Dev protects the village from any harm and con artists.
Final Thoughts
India is a country that is rich in culture and heritage and moreover, the agriculture of India is one of its backbones. So it’s no surprise that the richest village in Asia is an agricultural village from India. Moreover, India is also home to the other villages in this list.
