Image Source: Grand Trunk Road Initiatives
Shashank Kumar, born and brought up in a family of farmers in Chhapra, Bihar, converted his own rural poverty experience into a vision to change the face of Indian agriculture. He went to IIT Delhi and worked for international brands before returning to his roots, starting DeHaat-a startup worth about Rs 5,800 crore (approximately $700 million) today. His saga is one of vision, determination, and contribution, empowering millions of smallholder farmers all over India.
Early Life and Education
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Shashank Kumar was brought up in Chhapra, Bihar, seeing the plight of small farmers, including his own relatives.
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He studied at IIT Delhi, graduating in 2008, and then worked with top companies such as Unilever and PepsiCo.
Inspiration and Return to Roots
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In spite of a promising corporate career, Shashank was greatly touched by the persistent plight of farmers in his hometown.
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In 2011, he went back to Bihar, getting directly involved with local farmers and trying to identify their needs and systemic problems.
Founding DeHaat
Shashank founded DeHaat in 2012 with the goal to link farmers with buyers directly and give them access to quality seeds, fertilizers, and crop advisory services that are AI-powered.
The platform aimed to do away with intermediaries, decrease input costs, and provide greater market access for smallholder farmers.
Growth and Impact
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Early farmer skepticism was addressed by persistent grassroots mobilization and verifiable results-increased yields, reduced expenses, and cash payments.
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As of 2019, DeHaat assisted more than 65,000 farmers in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha.
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DeHaat now works in 12 states as of 2025, with more than 11,000 DeHaat Centers serving more than 1.8 million farmers.
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The company has earned recognition from groups such as NASSCOM, Forbes, ET, Niti Aayog, and the Bill Gates Foundation.
Funding and Valuation
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DeHaat raised $60 million in 2022 with support from Sofina Ventures and Temasek, achieving a valuation of $700 million (roughly Rs 5,800 crore).
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The firm is growing, with a goal to enable 50 million farmers in India by 2025.
Team and Collaboration
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Shashank put together a team of like-minded IIT alumni and experts, such as co-founders from IIT Kharagpur and IIM Ahmedabad.
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The startup was characterized by economic struggles, such as the first round of rejections from more than 85 investors and the use of a small bank loan.
Recognition and Increased Impact
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DeHaat has been recognized as one of the top agritech startups in India, renowned for its AI-powered solutions, language support in local regions, and increased impact on rural livelihoods.
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The startup is an example of the rising phenomenon of IIT alumni driving disruptive startups within India's flourishing entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Relevant Sources: The Better India, Sovrenn, The Better India, Times of India, Instagram
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