With a ₹5L investment, this Ahmedabad engineer built a ₹6 Cr turnover biz selling 45,000+ solar dryers, generated 15000+ rural livelihoods

Farmers in rural parts of India often face a harsh reality after harvest. Their produce must be sold quickly. If not, moisture and poor storage conditions lead to spoilage and wastage. This pressure forces farmers to sell at low prices, making farming neither sustainable nor profitable in the long run.

To solve this persistent problem, Ahmedabad solar startup Rudra Solar Energy, founded by Devang Joshi, introduced a range of solar dryers designed specifically for agricultural produce.

In an exclusive interview with Startup Pedia, the Ahmedabad founder shared,“I always wanted to create impact through my business. That’s why we launched a range of solar dryers to help farmers earn more and to generate micro and women entrepreneurs across rural India.”

From Wasted Produce to Value Creation

Rudra Solar Energy operates in a lesser-known but highly impactful segment of renewable energy, solar thermal solutions. Unlike rooftop solar panels that generate electricity, solar thermal technology uses direct sunlight to produce heat for drying and cooking food.

At the heart of Rudra’s product portfolio lies a range of solar dryers, a simple yet powerful solution to reduce post-harvest losses and create new income opportunities for farmers, women entrepreneurs, and micro-entrepreneurs.

Rudra solar dryers help farmers dry 10–20% of their produce, convert it into powders or value-added products, and sell them at much higher margins.

The founder of Rudra Solar Energy explained, “For example, drying ginger into powder can nearly double profits. When blended into herbal teas or spice mixes, the same product can fetch ₹1,500–₹2,000 per kg,” in the Startup Pedia interview.

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What Rudra Solar Energy Does

The startup currently manufactures a wide range of dryers, including Solar Fruit Dryer, Solar Sweet Potato Dryer, Solar Green Beans Dryer, Solar Broccoli Dryer, Solar Cabbage Dryer, Solar Carrot Dryer, Solar Lemon Dryer, Solar Corn Dryer, Solar Spinach Dryer, and many more, tailored for different types of produce.

The dryers come in various capacities, starting from ₹6,500 for small domestic models and going up to ₹3.5 lakh for large Farmer Producer Organization (FPO)-level systems. This flexibility allows Rudra Solar Energy to serve individual households, small farmers, women-led self-help groups, and large agricultural enterprises.

What makes these dryers stand out is quality preservation. Unlike electric dryers that operate at very high temperatures, Rudra solar dryers work at lower heat levels to preserve taste, aroma, nutrition, and color.

“Think of a car parked in the sun. Even without an AC or fan, it slowly heats up. Our solar dryer works the same way. Sunlight generates heat, and controlled airflow gently removes moisture over time and dries the produce inside the dryer,” said the founder of  the Ahmedabad solar startup in the Startup Pedia interview.

Another major advantage is reduced logistics cost. Drying 100 kg of fresh produce into just 10 kg makes transportation cheaper, easier, and spoilage-free. For regions with limited sunlight or cloudy weather, Rudra also offers hybrid solar-electric dryers, ensuring year-round usage.

Reach Across India and Beyond

Since its inception, Rudra Solar Energy has supplied over 45,000 solar dryers, becoming one of the biggest players in this niche segment. Nearly 15,000 units are used directly for livelihood generation by farmers, women entrepreneurs, and self-help groups.

“Although we have sold 45,000 solar dryers, they were majorly sold to B2Bs. We can’t be sure how many micro and women entrepreneurs were generated through our solar dryers. However, out of all we have directly generated 15,000 livelihoods in which nearly 40% are women,” Devang Joshi, the Ahmedabad solar startup, told Startup Pedia.

Rudra’s presence spans every Indian state, from Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan to Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland, Leh-Ladakh, and even Lakshadweep. The dryers operate effectively in temperatures ranging from 10°C in Ladakh to the humid coasts of Kanyakumari.

Beyond India, Rudra Solar dryers are also sold across 18 countries, including regions in Africa, and exported to Australia, Indonesia, the US, Madagascar, and Malawi.

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A Measurable Impact on Rural Incomes

The real impact of Rudra Solar Energy lies in results. While narrating a success story of a struggling farmer, the founder said that with the help of a solar dryer, the farmer made almost four times his investment.

“During COVID pandemic, a farmer bought a small dryer for about ₹15,000. Within a year, he earned nearly ₹45,000 by selling moringa powder locally,” Devang said in the Startup Pedia interview.

On average, farmers see a 20–30% income increase using Rudra solar dryers. Dried products can last one year in airtight packaging and up to two years with vacuum sealing, giving farmers greater control over when and where they sell.

From an economic perspective, Rudra solar dryers also outperform electric dryers.

“If you compare electric and solar dryers of the same capacity, the initial cost is similar. But the electricity bill of an electric dryer for six months equals the full cost of our solar dryer. With our solar dryer, you don’t have recurring expenses like electricity costs,” the founder explained.

Most users recover their investment within 8–9 months, after which operating costs are almost zero, making solar dryers especially useful in regions with unreliable electricity.

The Founder’s Journey: From Engineering to Entrepreneurship

The Ahmedabad solar startup founder comes from a humble family. His father was a primary school teacher, and his mother was a housewife.

Since he wanted to earn his own pocket money, he would complete projects for other students in return for money. He would earn ₹1500- ₹2000 per month.

Devang Joshi is a mechanical engineering graduate with a deep interest in solar energy. Early in his career, he worked as a quality control inspector at L&T Hazira, contributing to projects with NPCIL, ONGC, and major power and defense installations.

While working in a job that paid ₹10,000 per month, he always aspired to become an entrepreneur. In 2006, he left his job to pursue his passion for entrepreneurship and make an impact.

In 2006, he founded Rudra Solar Energy as a trading firm, dealing in solar lanterns, pumps, cookers, and water heaters. The initial investment was around ₹5–6 lakh, with annual revenues of ₹20–25 lakh.

He met with a life-changing accident in 2011, which also became a turning point in his life.

“During recovery, I realized I needed to make an impact with the business while making it profitable. Hence solar dryers came into picture,” said the founder of Rudra Solar Energy, an Ahmedabad solar startup, in the Startup Pedia interview.

This shift led to deeper research, collaborations with IITs, and CSR projects with organizations like BARC and NTPC.

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Scaling with Focus and Integrity

Manufacturing for Rudra solar dryers began in 2016–17, with an investment of ₹50 lakh in plant and machinery. Growth was steady at 10–12% annually.

The real acceleration came after 2023, when Rudra Solar Energy became a private limited company and formally entered India’s startup ecosystem. This unlocked mentorship, grants, and policy support.

Today, the company has crossed ₹5 crore in revenue, is on track to close FY 2025–26 at ₹12 crore, and is targeting ₹25 crore by FY 2026–27.

Rudra Solar Energy operates from a 4,000+ sq ft manufacturing facility built on owned land and employs around 30 people, including production staff and administrators.

Rather than flashy advertising, the Ahmedabad solar startup focuses on farmer education, seminars, YouTube content, social media, and grassroots outreach.

What’s Next for Rudar Solar Energy

Looking ahead, the Ahmedabad solar startup expects to close FY 2025–26 with a revenue of approximately ₹12 crore and is targeting ₹25 crore in FY 2026–27.

In terms of impact, Ahmedabad startup is reaching nearly 2,000 farmers, micro-entrepreneurs, and women in FY 2025–26. This number is expected to increase by another 5,000 beneficiaries in FY 2026–27, reflecting a consistent 100 percent year-on-year growth in outreach.

On the product front, Ahmedabad solar startup initially offered smaller solar dryers with capacities of around 25 kg. In FY 2025–26, it expanded its portfolio to include higher-capacity solar dryers of 100 kg and 500 kg.

This expansion enables Ahmedabad startup to serve larger clients with higher ticket sizes, leading to improved revenue and profit margins for the business, while also enhancing earnings for farmers and entrepreneurs through increased production volumes.

“To sustain this scale of growth, we plan to establish an additional manufacturing unit by FY 2026–27, with a production capacity nearly ten times its current operations,” concludes the founder of Rudra Solar Energy in the Startup Pedia interview.

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