Kaushik Kappagantulu

Kaushik Kappagantulu is the co-founder and CEO of Kheyti, a social enterprise based in Hyderabad, India, focused on supporting smallholder farmers. Under his leadership since May 2015, Kheyti has developed the "Greenhouse-in-a-Box," an innovative solution designed to help farmers combat income variability and climate challenges. This modular greenhouse system not only protects crops from environmental risks but also significantly increases food production, allowing farmers to grow seven times more food while using 90% less water. Kheyti also provides additional services such as financing, training, and market linkages to ensure a sustainable income for farmers, aiming for a target of $100 per month per household.12

Kaushik has a strong background in social entrepreneurship, having spent over 12 years in the field. Before Kheyti, he was involved with B-ABLE, where he played a crucial role in scaling the organization from its inception to a network of 200 training centers across 14 states, impacting over 50,000 school dropouts annually.2 He is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, where he earned his BTech and MTech in Mining Engineering, and he holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, where he received several accolades for his contributions to social enterprise.12

Kaushik has been recognized for his impactful work, winning prestigious awards such as the Earthshot Prize and the Elevate Prize, which highlight his commitment to improving rural livelihoods in India.2