Meet farmer’s son from Chhapra, who studied at IIT Delhi, worked with leading brands, later built Rs 5800 crore startup

Shashank Kumar grew up in a small village in Bihar’s Chhapra district, where farming was the main source of income. His family, like many others in the region, worked day and night in the fields. But despite their hard work, the money they earned was never enough. Middlemen took a big share of the profits, leaving the actual farmers with very little. This unfair system deeply affected Shashank.

He dreamed of changing things for farmers like his family. After years of studying hard, he got into IIT Delhi, one of India’s top engineering colleges. After graduating in 2008, Shashank worked for big companies like Unilever and PepsiCo. But something kept pulling him back, his village, and the problems of the farmers he grew up around.

In 2011, Shashank returned to Bihar. He spoke to local farmers and found that nothing had changed. Farmers still faced high costs, unfair pricing, and very little support. In 2012, he decided to act. That’s when he launched DeHaat, a tech platform made especially for farmers.

DeHaat connects farmers with the things they need: good-quality seeds, fertilizers, expert crop advice using AI (Artificial Intelligence), and direct links to buyers so they can sell their crops without middlemen. At first, farmers were hesitant. They had heard many promises before. But Shashank didn’t give up—he travelled, spoke to them, and earned their trust one step at a time.

Slowly, a few farmers tried DeHaat and saw results, better crops, lower costs, and better income. As word spread, more farmers joined. What started as a small idea grew into a big movement.

By 2019, over 65,000 farmers in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha were using DeHaat. In 2022, the startup raised USD 60 million in funding and was valued at an incredible USD 700 million. Investors like Sofina Ventures and Temasek saw the huge potential.

Now, in 2025, DeHaat is aiming even higher—with a mission to empower 50 million farmers across India. Shashank’s journey shows that with the right mix of technology and heart, even a farmer’s son can transform Indian agriculture for the better.