“Our forebears came to South Africa as indentured labourers to work on the sugar cane plantations. They were extremely poor and suffered tremendous hardships. Now our team of young leaders are pioneering agricultural education across the country to keep the nation well fed and healthy.” Karmini Pillay-Rangan
As a child Karmini Pillay-Rangan would help cut up vegetables, cook and accompany her father to Durban’s beachfront to feed the homeless, hungry and destitute people.
She said when she was growing up, the family was not well-to-do, but her father taught her that no one should go to bed hungry.
“Unfortunately, my father, Sagie Pillay, passed away earlier this year, but I find great joy in continuing with his legacy of feeding the poor through other means,” said Pillay-Runga of Johannesburg.
She is a director of Pulse Afrika, an innovative force in agriculture training and development, with a steadfast commitment to addressing the critical issues of food security and sustainable food production, particularly in South Africa.
Pillay-Rangan, who is married to catering company owner Dhushan and has two daughters, said Pulse Afrika was born at a full-circle moment when life provided clarity about something from the past.
“Our forebears came to South Africa as indentured labourers to work on the sugar cane plantations. They were extremely poor and suffered tremendous hardships. Now our team of young leaders are pioneering agricultural education across the country to keep the nation well fed and healthy.
“The idea behind Pulse Afrika is one that speaks to my soul. As a leading higher education institute in South Africa, it is dedicated to promoting sustainable food security through comprehensive education in agriculture and artisan training, with courses in, among others, plant production, mixed farming, grain handling and poultry production” she said.
After matriculating from Newhaven Secondary School in Chatsworth, Pillay-Rangan studied for a degree in education at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She worked for Africanbank as a skills development and learnership facilitator but yearned to make a more meaningful contribution on a wider scale.
“I wanted to use my skills and abilities in education to create a movement towards sustainable food security. I wanted to teach a man to fish, rather than giving him a fish.
“I had worked in the financial sector for a decade and a half, taking care of learning and development. As a life-long student, I embody academic excellence through my leadership in the field,” said Pillay-Rangan.
She made the top 10 women in the country in the education category in the 2023 Woman of Stature Awards, which aim to inspire women to achieve and impact those around them in a deeper and more profound way.
Pillay-Rangan said her business partners, Byron Lazarides and Dr Ruval Boosi, shared her beliefs and values in creating tomorrow’s leaders today.
“By teaching sustainable agricultural practices, the institute contributes to resilient food systems capable of withstanding climate change and population growth pressures. The curriculum emphasizes organic farming, renewable resources, and critical thinking to develop innovative solutions for community challenges,” she said
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