Mithilesh Desai: Viral mystery man talking to PM Narendra Modi is India’s ‘Jackfruit King’ who uses blockchain to cultivate 80+ varieties

A brief exchange between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a Maharashtra farmer at Revati Sule’s Delhi wedding reception has caught the internet’s attention. The man seen approaching Modi with his phone was identified as Mithilesh Desai, a Ratnagiri-based farmer and entrepreneur known for cultivating several varieties of jackfruit and promoting its processing and commercial use.

A video from the reception shows Modi sitting on a sofa as Desai walks up to him in a black jacket. After greeting the Prime Minister, Desai takes out his phone and appears to show him something on the screen.

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Modi appears to listen carefully while Desai explains what he is showing. NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar can also be seen sitting nearby.

The short interaction prompted social media users to ask who the man was. Desai’s identity soon emerged, along with his unusual connection to jackfruit farming.

So, who is Mithilesh Desai?

Desai is from Zapad village in Lanja taluka of Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, and comes from a farming family. His father, Harishchandra Desai, began working with different jackfruit varieties around 2000 after bringing varieties from Kerala and growing them in Ratnagiri.


Mithilesh later built on that family experience with an agricultural education. He studied Agricultural Engineering at MPKV, Rahuri, and brought a more research-oriented approach to farming.

Before settling into agriculture, Desai had also prepared for the UPSC examinations. He eventually chose to continue with farming and focused increasingly on jackfruit.

His interest went beyond simply growing the fruit. He began studying different varieties, experimenting with cultivation and exploring ways to turn farm produce into products with greater commercial value.

Desai has developed a sizeable jackfruit collection on his nearly 28-acre property in Ratnagiri. Reports have described the collection as having more than 70 varieties, while some accounts have put the number at over 86, including varieties sourced from different parts of the world.

That extensive collection is one reason he came to be associated with the nickname “Jackfruit King of India”.

From growing jackfruit to processing it

Desai’s work is not limited to cultivating jackfruit. He has also explored the potential of different parts of the plant, including seeds, leaves and bark, for value-added products.

His broader food-processing efforts cover jackfruit as well as crops such as cashews, mangoes and other fruits and vegetables.

He has also worked on farmer-oriented initiatives through a Farmer Producer Organisation. Such efforts seek to help farmers move beyond selling raw produce by creating opportunities for processing and marketing agricultural products.

His work has been linked to Jackfruitking Agro Producer Company Limited, bringing together farming, food processing and commercialisation.

Why did Mithilesh Desai meet PM Modi?

The video does not reveal exactly what Desai showed Modi on his phone. However, his background in jackfruit farming and processing provides context to the brief conversation that attracted online attention.

The interaction took place during the Delhi reception for Revati Sule, daughter of NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule and granddaughter of Sharad Pawar. Revati Sule married Nagpur-based industrialist Sarang Lakhani in June, while the Delhi reception was hosted at the Pawar family’s 6, Janpath residence on August 10.

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The event brought together several high-profile political figures. PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were among those present.

Yet, amid the political leaders and prominent guests, a farmer from Ratnagiri became one of the unexpected talking points after his interaction with the Prime Minister surfaced online.