Ruchit Garg, a former Microsoft employee, has made headlines by forsaking his high-paying job of Rs 1 crore per annum to pursue his entrepreneurial aspirations. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and feeling unfulfilled after six years at Microsoft, Garg decided to embark on a journey to make a meaningful impact in the agricultural sector.
Garg’s decision to leave Microsoft in 2011 was fueled by his longing to run his own business and his desire to contribute to the farming community. Hailing from a family with roots in farming, Garg founded his startup, Harvesting, with a vision to empower small-holder farmers across India. Harvesting aims to provide farmers with vital resources and facilitate the sale of their produce through both online and offline channels.
“Harvesting helps small-holder farmers make more money,” Garg explained. “We assist farmers with everything they need to cultivate their crops and help them market their produce both online and offline.”
Initially working with Microsoft in Hyderabad for three years before transitioning to the company’s headquarters in Redmond, Garg’s decision to leave his corporate career behind was driven by his passion for entrepreneurship and his determination to contribute to the agricultural landscape.
Inspired by his grandfather’s farming background in Uttar Pradesh, Garg envisioned Harvesting as a platform to support farmers and enhance their livelihoods. Since its inception, Harvesting claims to have positively impacted over 37 lakh farmers across India.
Garg’s journey from a corporate executive to an agricultural entrepreneur underscores his resilience and commitment to his vision. Shaped by his early struggles and financial constraints, Garg’s dedication to entrepreneurship was cultivated during his time at the Indian Railways library in Lucknow, where he immersed himself in reading case studies from the Harvard Business Review.
Garg’s entrepreneurial endeavors have garnered recognition, culminating in an invitation to Harvard University in 2018 to speak about financial inclusion for smallholder farmers—an achievement he considers deeply gratifying and emblematic of his transformation from adversity to success in the entrepreneurial realm.
