09/11/2025
"People used to call me a fool... when I chose farming."
That's what 24-year-old Prince Shukla heard when he left a secure job in Bengaluru to return home to Purnia, Bihar, and take up farming.
Armed with a BSc in Agriculture and just ₹1 lakh borrowed from his father and relatives, he launched his startup—AGRATE.
He started small: supplying farmers with quality seeds, organic fertilisers, and efficient irrigation tools. But what truly changed lives was his hands-on support and training for small-scale farmers who had never imagined these modern practices.
In the early days, he faced skepticism, financial strain, and countless obstacles. But Prince believed farming deserved dignity, innovation, and ambition.
Today, AGRATE generates ₹2.5 crore in annual revenue.
The farmers who once struggled to make ends meet now grow healthy crops with confidence and pride. Families who saw farming as a burden now see it as a path to prosperity.
Those who once mocked his decision now come to seek his advice.
And the very soil he returned to isn't just sprouting crops—it's cultivating hope.
Farming can be the future. And when young minds like Prince Shukla lead the way, that future grows greener every day.
