Originally reported and written in May 2023, this story has been republished as part of our archival content.

Growing up in the Western Ghats, Mangal Shetty (59) and his wife Ambika developed a shared passion for nature, which continued to bring them closer. Dissatisfied with life in Bengaluru, they longed for something more.

So, in 2007, Mangal, an “entrepreneur turned ecopreneur”, says he decided to go on a quest to explore the possibility of an eco-friendly lifestyle where he could practice his values. And it was during this journey, he came across a place in coastal Karnataka nestled in the Aghanashini estuary — a space he would eventually call ‘home’.

Over the years, the sustainable project that Mangal and his wife embarked upon here is a testament to their love for nature. Their dream home, a three-bedroom plot, rises within the forests on the estuarine beach where the Aghanashini river meets the Arabian Sea. Blink twice, and you’ll almost lose sight of the home as the dense foliage camouflages it.

As anyone who passes by this land would tell you, it is one with nature.

Mangal, who was always of a business bent of mind, found himself seeking something beyond the confines of the corporate world. After discovering a potential acquisition opportunity, he sold his current company and shifted his focus to his long-awaited passion.

“I wanted to do something with nature and communities. I always........

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