New Delhi: Dadasaheb Bhagat hails from Beed, Maharashtra. After completing high school, Bhagat moved from his village to Pune to start a career. He used to earn about Rs 9,000 a month as a room service boy after completing an ITI diploma programme. But then, instead of choosing an industrial job, he joined an Infosys guest house. At the Infosys guest house, he oversaw providing room service, tea, and water to visitors.

He became interested in the sector and learned the value of software while working at Infosys. Bhagat was enthralled by the corporate world but knew that without a college degree, he would never be accepted. While he was considering his options, he was encouraged to pursue his interests in animation and design. He worked during the day and attended his animation classes in the evening. Bhagat was hired for a “real job” in Mumbai after finishing the course, which he eventually left to move to Hyderabad.

While working for a Hyderabad-based design and graphics firm, Bhagat started learning Python and C++. He realised that it took a lot of time to create various visual effects and that it would be great to build a library of reusable templates, as per a DNA report. As his idea for it developed, he started selling these design templates online.

He Started Two Startups Despite Meeting With An Accident

Bhagat was unfortunately involved in a car accident. Bhagat quit his job and started spending all of his time building his design libraries while confined to a bed. Ninthmotion, his first company, was established that year. In a short period of time, he eventually provided services to about 6,000 clients across the globe, including renowned organisations like BBC Studios and the 9XM music channel.

Bhagat decided to develop a website for online graphic design that is comparable to Canva. DooGraphics, Bhagat’s second company, was the result of that. Users can create templates and designs using the platform’s easy drag-and-drop interface. But because of the COVID-19-induced lockdown, he was forced to stop operating in Pune and move to his village in Beed, Maharashtra. Bhagat set up shop in hilly cattle shed with good 4G network reception because his village lacked a good infrastructure, forcing him to make temporary arrangements.

With a few of his friends whom he had personally trained in animation and design, Bhagat started working from the shed. Soon after, DooGraphics training was given to more village kids, and business operations started. The company had 10,000 active users after six months, with the majority hailing from Maharashtra, Delhi, and Bangalore, as well as a small number from Japan, Australia, and the UK.