A series of misfortunes prompted a farmer, identified as Chandrashekar Gowda, to spend nearly 18 years in a forest in southern India's Karnataka. Visuals shot on November 3 feature Gowda residing in the woods near Aranthodu, located in the Dakshina Kannada district.

The 56-year-old farmer recently came to light after a group of doctors arrived at his abode- a car amid the woods- to administer the Covid-19 vaccine to him. Although Gowda lives off the land and has lost most of his hair, the medical experts found him in the pink of health.

Back in 1999, Gowda faced a series of misfortunes after taking a Rs 54 thousand (USD 724.98) short-term crop loan to grow areca nut from the Nellur Kemraje Cooperative Society. Unable to pay off the debt due to unfortunate financial circumstances, Gowda lost his home and 1.5-acre land to a loan-recovery auction in 2002.

Moreover, although the cooperative society claims that it put aside an amount of Rs 11 thousand (USD 147.68) post the auction, Gowda never went to collect it and decided to live in the woods in his car instead, where he weaves and sells baskets for a living.