New Delhi: Every year, Delhi and its surrounding areas face a recurring problem during the winter season—severe air pollution. The region experiences hazardous air quality levels, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) often reaching the “severely polluted” category. The skies are filled with a smoky haze, particularly in the Indo-Gangetic belt. Among the primary contributors to this issue is the practice of stubble burning, accounting for up to 26% of Delhi’s air pollution.
However, imagine if there was an economically viable solution to eliminate stubble burning. This is precisely what inspired the founders of Dharaksha, a deep-tech material startup specialising in converting paddy straw stubble into biodegradable packaging material. Arpit Dhupar and Anand Bodh established the company in 2019, aiming to address the problem of crop stubble waste, which is typically burned in the fields. Dharaksha utilises its proprietary biotechnology process to create packaging material that can biodegrade within 60 days under normal soil conditions.
Incubated at the Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Dharaksha leverages Mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms, to decompose paddy straw and transform it into packaging boxes. The startup was founded with a dual objective: to minimise air pollution by converting crop residue into a valuable product and to combat plastic pollution by offering a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional packaging materials.
Prior to establishing Dharaksha, the co-founders had substantial experience in running and scaling their previous startups. Dhupar, for instance, founded Chakr Innovation, a company that developed an emission control device capable of reducing pollution at its source and converting it into a useful product. On the other hand, Bodh was a core team member at Pumpumpum Cars, a company providing a smart car subscription service. Having collaborated on numerous projects for over 13 years, the duo created a product addressing a significant environmental issue.
“We are a deep-tech company that relies on data for decision-making and uses the same data to establish focused and efficient standard operating procedures, optimising the entire process,” says Bodh, the chief growth officer and co-founder of Dharaksha. “We have developed internal software and processes that enable us to track each unit produced from day zero until the end of its life cycle. Each unit holds a separate identity in our systems. Currently, we manufacture 20,000 pieces per month, with plans to scale up five-fold in the next four months. Our key customers include Dabur, V-Guard, Pernod Ricard, Nestle, Fyllo, Gourmet Jars, and others in both the startup and corporate segments,” he adds.
Dharaksha’s clients encompass a wide range of industries, including white goods companies, FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) companies, and pottery companies. FMCG and white goods companies can utilise the startup’s packaging material to securely ship their products sold through online e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart. E-commerce shipping inherently involves the tossing of packages and fragile items, which poses a potential risk of breakage. Dharaksha’s product offers much-needed protection in such scenarios.
To support its mission, Dharaksha has secured funding from several investors, including Nithin Kamath of Zerodha, Momentum Capital, Let’s Venture, Pragatt Dutt, and Anshuman Bapna (former CPO of Make My Trip), along with other angel investors. Looking ahead, the company plans to venture into franchise manufacturing and establish 200-250 plants across India to address the challenge of over 23 million tonnes of stubble waste.
