Articles
-
Congratulations to the Class of 2026
My Advice to the High School Graduating Class of 2026 by Mani Skaria, PhD A few days ago, I was […]
-
The Day My Dishwasher Smelled Like Eggs
What it taught me about cleaning, disinfection, and a chemical we often misunderstand An unexpected moment at home This morning, […]
-
Rio Grande Valley Resilience Garden Initiative
by Mani Skaria, PhD I’m reaching out today to share an idea—one that has been growing in my mind for […]
-
A+B The Whole Square: More Than A Formula
(a + b)² = a² + 2ab + b² Did You Just Memorize It… Or Understand It? Let me ask […]
-
A Leader Without Noise: Chandy Oomen
By Mani Skaria, PhD Some legacies are inherited…But what really matters… is how you carry them. Chandy Oommen—A lawyer…A Supreme […]
-
From Tension to Peace–Happy Easter!
This Easter, in 2026, feels different. From Washington… to Jerusalem… to Tehran…to New Delhi…the world feels tense. Nations are uneasy.Communities […]
-
GEMS in the Hallway: How Small Conversations Can Shape Your Life
There is something we often overlook in our pursuit of success. We prepare for big meetings.We rehearse presentations.We wait for […]
-
The $.2.50 Leadership Lesson | How to Pick the Right Avocado
What an Avocado Teaches Us About Health, Attention, and Small Decisions An avocado is more than just a fruit. It’s […]
-
What is Dr. Mani’s Magic? A story of soil, science, family, and the quiet innovations that grew from necessity.
By Mani Skaria, PhD ABRACADABRA People often ask me a simple question: “What is Dr. Mani’s Magic?” Some people even […]
-
Rethinking the Journey of Grapefruit: From Grove to Home
Mani Skaria, PhD Have you ever tasted grapefruit straight from the grove? If you have, you know the difference immediately. Fresh.Vibrant.Full […]
-
Who Will Grow Food for Kerala? (Malayalam)
Educated, Global …. Yet Food-Dependent! By Mani Skaria, PhD Kerala is a narrow strip of land, cradled between the Western […]
-
Who Will Grow Food for Kerala
Educated, Global …. Yet Food-Dependent! By Mani Skaria, PhD Kerala is a narrow strip of land, cradled between the Western […]
-
Thinking Outside the Box: From Biochemistry to Bloodline
By Mani Skaria, PhD In the last week of February 2026, I was at the University of California, Riverside, serving […]
-
World Ag Expo 2026: Where Innovation, Soil, and Legacy Converge–Intelligently
World Ag Expo 2026: Where Innovation, Soil, and Legacy Converge — Intelligently By Mani Skaria, PhD After a decade, I […]
-
The Screwworm at the Gate: Building a Biological Wall Before It Reaches Texas
By Mani Skaria, PhD Thanks to Dr. T.R. Landford DVM, Deputy Executive Director, Texas Animal Health Commission for his insights […]
-
The Doctor Who Built a Heaven Between
Reflections on the Retirement of Dr. Saroja Viswamitra DHR Health, Edinburg/McAllen By Mani Skaria, PhD On February 12, 2026, in […]
-
Wheel of Learning Together
This is not about showcasing myself—it is about learning together. The Wheel of Learning Together is my honest effort to […]
-
Why I Love India
I love India not because it is perfect, but because it is purposeful. India gained independence in 1947, inheriting not […]
-
Do You Know What Really Kills Your Plants in a Freeze?
By Mani Skaria, PhD Texas froze again. So did large parts of America. Whenever this happens, the same questions return: […]
-
Kerala, Social Media, and the Quiet Disappearance of Due Process
Kerala, Social Media, and the Quiet Disappearance of Due Process By Mani Skaria, PhD Kerala is a state that takes […]
-
Thinking Organically About Organic Food: Fighting Cognitive Hypocrisy
Organic food is often discussed emotionally or commercially — rarely cognitively.In this brief video, I explore the idea of thinking […]
-
WHEN A PAPAYA LOOKS RIGHT – BUT DOESN’T TASTE RIGHT
By Mani Skaria, PhD. Last week, I cut a papaya I purchased here in McAllen, Texas. It looked perfect—nice color, […]
-
What Is Good Education? From Tagore to Sridhar Vembu: Education Reimagined from the Ground Up
By Mani Skaria, PhD More than a century ago, Rabindranath Tagore—poet, philosopher, educator, and Nobel Laureate— challenged the idea of […]
-
INFANT TEMPERATURE–A Grandparent’s Reflection with Scientific Precision
By Mani Skaria, PhD Today, I reflect on body temperature as a grandparent. My small grandchild has a temperature and […]
-
A SMALL CHILD, A BIG BLESSING!
by Mani Skaria, PhD This morning at St. Gregorious Orthodox Church in McAllen, Texas, we were blessed by a special […]
-
SILLY BLACK BIRDS IN MCALLEN, TEXAS IS A LIFE LESSON
What People Call a Nuisance, a Grandpa Calls Classroom Dedication To my first grandchild and her little sister— Christmas 2025 […]
-
What Is Education For?
Is it only about earning a degree and finding a job—or is it also about learning how to think, adapt, […]
-
India’s Horticultural Future Takes Center Stage at IHC 2025
By Mani Skaria, PhD I was truly fortunate to witness the 11th Indian Horticultural Congress (IHC 2025), held from November […]
-
The Unsung Gatekeepers of America’s Food Border
Mani Skaria, PhD, December 3, 2025 Most people never hear their names, but U.S. Customs Brokers are among the quiet […]
-
People Find a Way
My good friend Jim Tour was on Fox Business to discuss recycling rare earth minerals. Take a look!
-
MANI’s VISIT to MANI BHAVAN in MUMBAI: A Reflective Journey Through a Living History
Insight No. 31 Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D. (the Silly Goose Grandpa)Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M–Kingsville Prepared on November 19, 2025 Yesterday, […]
-
I DIDN’T KNOW THIS TAUTOLOGY WHEN I FIRST STUDIED INDIAN HISTORY!
Insight No. 30 Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D. (the Silly Goose Grandpa)Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M–Kingsville When I was preparing for the […]
-
Tracing the Aroma: MY JOURNEY THROUGH INDIA’s BIRIYANI TRAIL
Insight No. 29 Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D. (the Silly Goose Grandpa)Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M–Kingsville During my recent travels in Madhya […]
-
A WEDDING IN JAIPUR — A CELEBRATION OF LOVE AND LEGACY
Insight No. 28 Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D. (the Silly Goose Grandpa)Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M–Kingsville Opening Reflection My wife Anne and […]
-
MS. RACHEL AND THE PENDULUM OF LOVE: How One Woman’s Voice United Generations Through Love, Learning, and Laughter
Insight No. 27 Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D. (the Silly Goose Grandpa)Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M–Kingsville THE RIVALS THE TEACHER WHO SINGS […]
-
THE DAY I WROTE MY OWN OBITUARY
Insight No. 26 Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M–Kingsville “Remembering that you are going to die is the best […]
-
A HALF CHAPATI MEMORY — From Bombay to Pune
Insight No. 25 Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M–Kingsville “Do not blame your food because you have no appetite.” […]
-
IN EVERY GAME, FEW PLAY—MANY SUSTAIN (The 80-20 Principle of Leadership, Energy, and Endurance)
Insight No. 24 Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M–Kingsville “Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what […]
-
WHEN THE WORLD SHAKES, CONTENTMENT HOLDS
Insight No. 23 Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M–Kingsville In a world spinning faster each day, contentment is the […]
-
HOWDY, HATS, BOOTS, and the BRAHMAN COW – a Texas Story that Walks, Talks, and Bridges Worlds
Insight No. 22 Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M–Kingsville “You can tell a lot about a man by the […]
-
The Longest Queue of Hope and the Divine Bottle
Insight No. 21 Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M–Kingsville A humorous reflection on Kerala’s most disciplined citizens and their […]
-
Bending to Rise, Part 2: The Coffee and Japanese Bow on a Bullet Train
Insight No. 20 Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M–Kingsville Inspired by a reader’s reflection on a previous post After […]
-
Bending to Rise: The Hidden Power of Touching Someone’s Feet
Insight No. 19 Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M–Kingsville “When the fruit grows on the tree, the branch bends […]
-
A Mother’s Heart
Insight No. 18 Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M–Kingsville “A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else […]
-
Interface Between Grandparents and Grandchildren
Insight No. 17 Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M–Kingsville This is the gentlest and most timeless interface — where […]
-
Failure, Faith, and the Nobel Prize: The Real Story Behind 2025’s Greatest Discoveries
Insight No. 16 Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M–Kingsville From the cells that defend our bodies to the molecules […]
-
Fingers, Forks, and Chopsticks: Where Culture Meets the Table
Insight No. 15 “The belly is not filled with food alone, but with friendship.” — Persian Proverb Author: Mani Skaria, […]
-
Small Swat, Giant Impact
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”—Leonardo DaVinci Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M–KingsvillePresident & CEO, US CitrusProduction Date: October 5, […]
-
An Academic Case Study in Captive Service Pricing: Lessons from an Industrial Fan Installation
Insight No. 13 “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.”—Warren Buffet Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus, Texas […]
-
The Power of Boring: Why It Succeeds and Builds Businesses That Last
Insight No. 12 “The first thing is character, before money or anything else. Money cannot buy it.”— J.P. Morgan Author: […]
-
Sleep Journeys: From Babies to Scientists, Spotty to Peanut to Myself
Insight No. 11 “A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.”– Irish Proverb […]
-
Two Dinner Tables
Insight No. 10 “Sometimes the roots of scientific revolutions are found in the most unlikely places.” Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D.Professor […]
-
From County Agent to Digital Coach: The Rise, Decline and Renewal of U.S. Extension
Insight No. 9 “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”— Nelson Mandela Author: […]
-
Australian Finger Lime: From the Land Down Under to Texas
Insight No. 8 “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” -John Muir Author: Mani Skaria, […]
-
Baking Soda is Good for You—But It Can’t Turn Non-Organic into Organic
Insight No. 7 “True organic comes from how we grow, not just how we wash.” Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus, […]
-
From Hippie to Citrus Hero: The Hidden Story of Clean Citrus
Insight No. 6 “Sometimes the roots of scientific revolutions are found in the most unlikely places.” Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D.Professor […]
-
Mistakes and Failures: Understanding the Difference, Embracing the Lessons
Insight #5 Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M–KingsvillePresident & CEO, US CitrusProduction Date: August 31, 2025 Narrative Human progress […]
-
Planting Gratitude: The Bicycle I Never Bought
Insight #4 “Gratitude is not spoken—it is cultivated in labor, watered with sacrifice, and harvested in love.” Author: Mani Skaria, […]
-
Amy’s Summer Greenhouse Experience: Eating Aphids and White Flies
Insight No. 2 “True strength grows in greenhouses of discomfort, watered by grit and guided by perseverance.” Author: Mani Skaria, […]
-
Passion Beyond ROI
Insight No. 1 “Passion is the ROI that outlasts money.” Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M–KingsvillePresident & CEO, US […]
-
The Onion Peel Approach: A Lesson from My Days in Jordan
Insight #3 “Every challenge has layers—wisdom comes from peeling them patiently.” Author: Mani Skaria, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M–KingsvillePresident & CEO, […]
-
Citrus Espaliers: History, Technique, and Application in Citrus Cultivation
Production Date: August 18, 2025 Introduction: What is an Espalier? Espalier, pronounced es-pal-YAY, is the ancient horticultural practice of training […]
-
Why Should You Invest in Your Planet?
by Mani Skaria, Ph.D. Ancient Greeks described stars in the sky that were visible to the human eye. They found […]
-
The Journey of Grapefruit: From Barbados to the World
by Mani Skaria, Ph.D. In the sun-kissed breeze of the Caribbean isle, Where trade winds whispered through citrus groves with […]
-
A Condensed History of the Texas A&I Citrus Center
The Texas A&I Citrus Center opened in 1947 in Weslaco under the leadership of Dr. P.W. Rohrbaugh. In 1964, Dr. […]
-
You’re Not Just A Tree (Rio Red) – Song Lyrics
by Mani Skaria, PhD [Verse 1]Down in Weslaco, where the orchards grow,I met a tree with a Texas soul.Born of […]
-
Puliyangudi: The Heart of South India’s Lime Cultivation
Puliyangudi: The Heart of South India’s Lime Cultivation Production Date: July 27, 2025 📍 Introduction Puliyangudi, located in the Tenkasi […]
-
Complete Fertilizer for Gardeners
Hello, I am Dr. Mani Skaria—Professor Emeritus, entrepreneur, and lifelong student of plant health and soil fertility.Today, we’re diving into […]
-
Biochar Manufacturing: The Promise of Mesquite in Texas (Inspired by Qualterra)
by Mani Skaria, PhD Let us examine the production of biochar, drawing inspiration from Qualterra Inc., a pioneering company based […]
-
12 Seeds for New Graduates
by Mani Skaria, Ph.D. The following is a presentation I gave to the graduating class of a local high school: […]
-
Harnessing the Power of Vetiver
Today, I invite you to explore an innovative and sustainable approach to citrus cultivation—one that harnesses the natural power of […]
-
The 5 Cs for Startup Business Success
By Dr. Mani Skaria, Ph.D. President & CEO, US Citrus Professor Emeritus at Texas A&M University-Kingsville Production Date: July 06, […]
-
Garlic and Allicin in Pest and Disease Control
by Mani Skaria, PhD Garlic has been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine and agriculture. But it’s not […]
-
Peeling the Onion: My Lesson in Problem Solving from the Jordan Valley
by Mani Skaria, PhD In 1984, I had just completed my Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from Purdue University. A few […]
-
Though there was tree death, there is resurrection and hope!
Mani Skaria, PhD Founder & CEO @ US Citrus, LLC | Bringing a New Outlook to the American Citrus Industry Professor […]
-
Beyond Organic
It is time for taking “Beyond Organic” for discussions by the USDA, the National Academy of Sciences, State Ag Departments, […]
-
Thou Shalt Nurture Soil as Womb
Mani Skaria, PhD Founder & CEO @ US Citrus, LLC | Bringing a New Outlook to the American Citrus Industry […]
-
A Tree Full of Promise, A Morning Full of Tears
“When a Night Steals the Harvest, but Not the Dream” Mani Skaria, Ph.D. In 2013, this micro-budded Mighty Mini grapefruit […]
-
Rio Red Grapefruit: Texas’ Crimson Jewel
“The Texas Red Grapefruit, honored on an official specialty license plate as the State Fruit of Texas.” Introduction Few fruits […]
