Dadasaheb Bhagat: From cleaning Infosys offices to CEO, how a 10th pass village boy built a desi Canva from a cowshed

Dadasaheb Bhagat, who once worked as an office boy at Infosys for ₹9,000 a month, is now the founder of Design Template, a design platform often compared to Canva. His journey from a drought-hit village in Maharashtra to running a successful startup reflects how determination and skill can transform one’s life.

Dadasaheb Bhagat: Early years in drought-hit Beed

Bhagat was born in Beed district of Maharashtra, a region known for drought-like conditions that made farming difficult. In his family, education was not a priority. He studied up to Class 10 and later completed an ITI course meant for factory jobs.

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In search of better opportunities, he moved to Pune, where his first job paid ₹4,000 a month. Later, he applied for an office boy position at Infosys that offered ₹9,000, according to a Moneycontrol report.

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Turning point after Infosys office boy job

At Infosys, Bhagat’s duties included cleaning, fetching supplies, and managing errands at the company’s guesthouse. Observing employees working on computers made him realize the difference between physical labour and skilled work.

He started asking employees how to get such jobs. “They told me that these roles required a degree, but some said creative fields like graphic design and animation valued talent more than qualifications,” he recalled.

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Rediscovering his passion for art

That conversation reminded Bhagat of his school days when he had admired a temple painter near his boarding school. He had always enjoyed drawing but had never pursued it seriously.

Balancing work and study, Bhagat began learning graphic design after his shifts. Within a year, he transitioned from cleaning offices to working as a designer, finally using the very computers he once cleaned around.

Building his own venture

After gaining experience, Bhagat started freelancing as a designer and later decided to build his own company. Initial years were difficult, marked by limited funds and slow growth.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he shut down his Pune office and returned to his village. Instead of giving up, he focused on creating a new design platform.

Innovation from a cowshed

Frequent power cuts and weak internet in the village forced Bhagat and his team to set up their workspace near a cowshed on a hill, where mobile connectivity was better. From there, Design Template took shape — a platform offering ready-to-use templates for designers, students, and small businesses.

Bhagat also began training local youth in design to help them learn digital skills. His work gained attention nationwide, earning praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reflecting the Make in India spirit.

Recognition and Shark Tank success

Bhagat’s growing success brought him to Shark Tank India, where he pitched Design Template and secured a deal with Aman Gupta, co-founder and CMO of boAt. Gupta invested ₹1 crore for a 10% stake in the company.

Recalling his experience on the show, Bhagat told IndianExpress.com, “It was very exciting, something I had never imagined. I went in and the energy was very good. I started speaking, but after the first two sentences I went blank. Radhika Gupta gave me water, and Peyush advised me not to pitch like a formal presentation. It took me about 10 minutes to feel normal again.”

Competing globally from rural India

Today, Design Template competes with global platforms like Canva, providing design tools made for Indian users. Bhagat’s goal is to make India self-reliant in digital design by helping local creators, students, and small businesses grow in the digital economy.

From cleaning offices at Infosys to building a homegrown design platform, Dadasaheb Bhagat’s story highlights how perseverance and skill development can help individuals break through social and economic barriers. His journey from a drought-prone village to Shark Tank India stands as an example of India’s growing startup spirit beyond metro cities.