KSRM organized a talk on Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness on 29th July 2025.

The speaker for the talk was Dr. Dinesh Kumar Chauhan, Head and CEO of the Agribusiness Innovation Platform (AIP) at ICRISAT. With over 20 years of leadership in organizations like DeHaat, Godrej Agrovet, and Reliance Retail, Dr. Chauhan currently leads climate-resilient and ESG-integrated initiatives at ICRISAT. He also contributes to global platforms such as COP 16, the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit, and the World Economic Forum’s AI for India 2030 initiative.

In his talk, Dr. Chauhan explained how the agriculture sector has changed a lot in recent years—so much that it is moving faster than even the IT industry in terms of new ideas and improvements. He said that today’s agribusiness students must be flexible, aware of their surroundings, and able to make smart decisions quickly. Dr. Chauhan also stressed the importance of winning people’s trust in villages. To truly connect with rural communities, he said it is necessary to spend time in the field, understand local customs, and be able to speak the regional languages. These are key to working effectively in rural India.

The session also explored the intersection of technology and agriculture, where data intelligence, AI, and digitally integrated supply chains are revolutionising the way value is created and delivered. Dr. Chauhan urged students to adopt a solution-centric mindset, championing lean, efficient innovations that align with both economic and ecological sustainability. Drawing a parallel between NASA and SpaceX, he illustrated how strategic focus, frugality, and agility often outperform legacy systems—an insight highly relevant to India’s fragmented agricultural infrastructure.

On the theme of entrepreneurship, he delivered a grounded yet empowering message. He challenged the myth that financial limitations are the primary barrier to success, asserting that clarity of purpose and strength of conviction are the true drivers of entrepreneurial momentum. Encouraging students to tap into government-backed incubator schemes and funding platforms, he presented a concise roadmap for venture building: Mobilise capital, Establish operations, Deliver consistently, Create employment and impact.

The session culminated with a powerful call to action: “Be innovative. Be diligent. But most importantly, remain flexible.”