Thanedhar, the apple heartland of Himachal Pradesh, wears a quiet, crisp charm on a Sunday afternoon.

As one savors a juicy apple at Banjara Retreat, it’s impossible not to marvel at the journey of this fruit—from its origins in North America to its deep-rooted presence in the hills of India.

But few know the story of the man who made it possible—Samuel Evans Stokes, the American who changed the fortunes of Himachal Pradesh forever.

From Philadelphia to the Himalayas

Born on August 6, 1882, in Germantown, Philadelphia, Stokes was not a businessman, nor a farmer by birth.

He was a man of deep conviction and social service. Inspired by Dr. Carlton, a missionary doctor working for leprosy patients in India, Stokes abandoned his studies at Cornell University and arrived in Bombay on February 26, 1904.

His first stop was the Sabathu Leper Home, where he worked tirelessly among the outcasts of society.

However, the searing heat of the Indian plains took a toll on him, and to recuperate, he was sent to Kotgarh, a remote village in Himachal Pradesh.

Nestled in the mountains, Kotgarh had been a British garrison since 1815, and its breathtaking beauty immediately captivated Stokes. Little did he know that he would soon become its most celebrated resident.

The Birth of an Apple Revolution

After working as a missionary and living the life of a sadhu for a while, Stokes gradually turned to farming. He bought a tea estate in Thanedhar from an English widow, Emma Matilda Bates, and began experimenting with different crops.

But it was in 1914, during a visit to the United States, that he had his most significant realization. He returned to India carrying five saplings of Red Delicious apples from Stark Brothers Nursery in Louisiana.

Over the years, Stokes propagated these saplings and distributed them among local farmers. His conviction was clear—horticulture, not subsistence farming, would transform Himachal’s economy. However, convincing the farmers was no easy task.

The land was rugged, resources were scarce, and the people were skeptical. But Stokes, with his deep connection to the locals, persevered.

The sweet Red Delicious apples were a game-changer. Unlike the earlier British-planted varieties like Newton Pippins, King of Pippin, and Cox’s Orange Pippin, which were too sour for Indian tastes, these apples found instant favor in the market.

By the time of his death in 1946, Himachal was producing 15,000 apple boxes annually—a number that would grow exponentially in the decades to come.

Today, the state contributes over 85% of India’s total apple production, making it the country’s apple capital.

Freedom Fighter and Social Reformer

Stokes’ contributions went far beyond apples. He was a fierce opponent of Begar, the practice of forced unpaid labor imposed by the British and local rulers.

Alongside activists like Lala Bishan Dass, Munshi Kapur Singh, and C.F. Andrews, he led a passive resistance movement that ultimately forced the British to abolish Begar on August 23, 1921.

Deeply influenced by Mahatma Gandhi, Stokes was the only American to participate in India’s freedom struggle.

He joined the Indian National Congress, rose to the All India Congress Committee (AICC), and even attended the Nagpur Session of 1920 alongside Lala Lajpat Rai.

When Gandhi called for the burning of foreign clothes in 1921, Stokes was the only non-Indian to sign the manifesto.

He discarded his Western attire, adopted khadi, and remained committed to India’s independence movement. He goes down in history as an American in khadi. 

A Spiritual Awakening

Despite being a missionary, Stokes found himself drawn to Hindu philosophy.

He believed that Christianity and Vedanta could enrich each other. In 1932, he and his family embraced Hinduism, and he took the name Satyanand Stokes.

He later built the Paramjyoti Temple on his estate, dedicated to Arya Samaj principles.

A Legacy That Lives On

On May 14, 1946, Stokes passed away, leaving behind an apple economy that had just begun to flourish.

Today, the apples of Himachal Pradesh are not just a fruit but a symbol of prosperity, a testament to his vision and perseverance.

While his portrait hangs in the Nehru Memorial Museum in Delhi, his name remains relatively unknown outside Himachal.

Yet, for every apple farmer in these hills, Samuel Stokes is not just a historical figure—he is a legend, the man who turned barren slopes into orchards of gold.

Next time you bite into a crisp Himachali apple, remember the American who made it all possible.