Adv. Joby Sebastian, the founder and Managing Director of Virgo Industries was born in 1957 in Kanjirappally, Kottayam District, Kerala into a noble Catholic family which was traditionally engaged in agriculture and agro-business.
Having completed his Bachelor’s in Commerce (BCom) and Bachelor of Laws (LLB) he practised law. Hailing from an agro-business background, at the age of 28, the industrialist within him started to evolve and founded to spearhead Virgo Industries from its inception.
A subject matter expert in the field of pre-cast concrete and green technology, he is an ardent advocate of organic farming, a passion inherited from his father. His concepts of green concrete technology and organic farming were phenomenal and ahead of his time unfolding solutions to the most pertinent problem.
His quest for solutions led him to come out with several novel innovations for which he has conferred two National awards and several other State awards. His sphere of competence and expertise include reforming traditional organic farming methodology using green concrete technology, durable and reinforced pre-cast concrete technology, waste management, environment protection, low-cost housing construction and innovative farming methods.
He is an outstanding inventor and innovator in his field and devotes most of his time researching, experimenting and redesigning existing/new solutions and products.
He devised a revolutionary method for pepper vine cultivation – a smart farming technique, with the invention of the world’s first Percolator Fertigation Post (PFP) which has served the best interests of pepper vine planters yielding maximum benefit out of pepper cultivation in a short span with minimal investment.
Equipped with unparalleled support and goodwill from the customers we serve, he fathered the Virgo flagship product series named FireTech comprising FireTech furnace, FireTech Incinerators, Fire Tech Solar Dryers and Rubber Board approved FireTech Rubber Smokehouse for high market quality, I-X Rubber sheets.
The company’s motto ‘INNOVATION, OUR MISSION’ is well assimilated and resonates well in the diverse products and solutions like Aerobic Composting Devices, Waste Water Treatment Pits, Affordable Housing Construction materials, Rubber Board approved Firetech Rubber Smoke House, Firetech Furnace, FireTech Solar Dryers, Manure Feeders, Aerobic Flower Pots, Porus Planting Rings, Vertical Garden Towers, Ferro-cement Doors, Pre-cast Bridges, Cooking Furnaces, Well Recharging, Porous Concrete Posts, Ready-made Tomb, Novel Fencing Posts etc..
He earnestly nurtures and operates a small agricultural nursery to promote and propagate the farming of exotic fruits (Rambutan, Mangosteen, Durian, Dragon Fruit etc.) and manufacturing high-quality organic manure for farmers. Other ventures involved are wholesale trading of construction materials and exclusive dealership of Ultra Tech cement and pipes.
Having more than 33 years of experience in the field of Concrete Technology and Organic Farming, Joby is an Innovative Industrialist who has won several awards at the National and the State level.
Adv. Joby Sebastian has presented theses with regards to his innovations at various international forums like La Via Campesina International Farmers Conference, South Asian Conference etc. Being a subject matter expert in Pre-cast Concrete Technology and Organic Farming, he has also led seminars in several prestigious institutes including IIT Madras, SRM University Chennai, Rubber Research Institute India (RRII) etc. Further, Mahatma Gandhi University’s Certificate Course in Organic Farming has chosen Joby’s farming practices as a case study for their university students. His initiative to cultivate vegetables in grow bags is still widely acknowledged in Kerala.
His interviews, news and articles have been widely publicized by various TV channels, newspapers and magazines of international recognition.
He is also an ardent proponent of ‘Neera’ (Sweet Toddy) and it was on the basis of his publication under Dr.Nanjundaswamy that the Karnataka State Government amended its law and legalized Neera.
He was also a former member of the Kerala State Karate Team for two consecutive years during the course of which he attended two National Championships as well as won the second place in the All India Karate Championship 1978.
Adv. Joby Sebastian currently serves as the President of the Lions Club of Kothamangalam and extends his outreaching humanitarian services and projects to benefit the most deserved and underprivileged.
Being a passionate reader and an eloquent orator, it is indeed his strong commitment towards making meaningful contributions towards the society that has led him to come out with innovative and creative solutions. He is also an influential writer and poet, who often wields the pen to express his views, many of which have been published in various reputed magazines and newspapers.