Rags to riches stories are always inspiring, proving that anyone can reach incredible heights with unwavering determination, hard work, and self-belief. Dadasaheb Bhagat, a young man from Beed, Maharashtra, is a prime example of this. After completing high school, Bhagat left his village to find work in Pune. Born into a family of agricultural laborers, he had only received formal education until Class X. Despite these limitations, he pursued an ITI diploma and secured a job as a room service boy at an Infosys guest house, earning around Rs. 9,000 a month. This experience sparked his interest in the software sector.
Bhagat recognized the value of a college degree for career advancement. He pursued his passion for animation and design, attending classes in the evenings while working during the day. After completing his animation course, he was offered a job in Mumbai, which he accepted before deciding to relocate to Hyderabad. In Hyderabad, Bhagat furthered his skills by studying Python and C++ while working at a design and graphics company. During this time, he conceived a unique idea to create a library of reusable templates and began selling them online. His company became known as India’s first Canva-like platform.
Unfortunately, a car accident forced Bhagat to take a break from his job. Confined to his bed, he didn’t let the setback deter him. Instead, he used this time to focus on developing his design libraries. This led to the founding of his first company, Ninthmotion, in the same year. Ninthmotion quickly gained traction, serving over 6,000 clients globally, including prominent companies like BBC Studios and the 9XM music channel.
Driven by his vision, Bhagat created a Canva-like website for online graphic designing, launching his second venture, DooGraphics. This platform provided users with a simple interface for creating designs and templates.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought another challenge. Bhagat had to relocate to his village in Beed due to the lockdown. The lack of proper infrastructure forced him to adapt. He set up shop in a hilly cattle shed with a reliable 4G network. With the help of a few friends, Bhagat continued working and even started training village children.
Despite these difficult circumstances, his business flourished. Within six months, DooGraphics gained 10,000 active customers, with a significant portion coming from Bangalore, Delhi, and Maharashtra. The company also attracted clients from Japan, Australia, and the UK.
Today, DooGraphics is valued at over 2 crore, a testament to Bhagat’s perseverance, innovation, and commitment to empowering individuals through accessible design tools. His journey from a room service boy to a successful tech entrepreneur inspires us all to chase our dreams and overcome any obstacles that stand in our way.
