From Office Boy to CEO: Dadasaheb Bhagat’s Journey from 10th Pass
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From cleaning offices at Infosys to building “Design Template,” India’s answer to Canva, Dadasaheb Bhagat’s story defines grit, innovation, and entrepreneurial inspiration.
Pune – Friday, October 16, 2025
From sweeping floors at Infosys to steering a multi-crore Indian startup, Dadasaheb Bhagat’s journey is one of sheer perseverance and vision. A 10th pass student from Beed, Maharashtra, he has emerged as one of India’s most inspirational entrepreneurs, building a design platform now hailed as a Canva rival.
His company, Design Template, stands as proof that brilliance can come from the most humble beginnings — and that determination often outweighs degrees.
Early Life: A Small Village, Big Dreams
Born in Beed district, one of Maharashtra’s most drought-stricken regions, Dadasaheb Bhagat grew up in a modest household with limited access to opportunities. His formal education ended after the 10th standard, followed by an ITI course, but his aspirations far exceeded the boundaries of his small town.
Facing financial constraints, Bhagat moved to Pune in search of work. His first job fetched him ₹4,000 a month, barely enough to survive in the city. But it was his next role — that of an office boy at Infosys — that would unknowingly set the stage for his future transformation.
The Infosys Chapter: Lessons Beyond the Job
At Infosys, Bhagat’s duties included cleaning floors, serving tea, and maintaining the guesthouse. He earned ₹9,000 a month — but more valuable than money was the exposure he received to the corporate world.
While most workers left after their shift, Bhagat often stayed back, observing software engineers and designers at work. Fascinated by how they used computers to create, innovate, and solve problems, he developed an unshakable curiosity for the digital world.
In his own words, he once said:
“I cleaned their desks by day and learned from their work by night.”
A few colleagues, impressed by his curiosity, suggested he try his hand at graphic design or animation. That advice planted the seed for what would become Design Template years later.
Discovering Passion for Design
Bhagat recalled that as a child, he was fascinated by art — often watching local painters during his school days. Drawing on that creative instinct, he enrolled in short-term design courses and began learning Photoshop and Illustrator using borrowed computers at night.
He freelanced for local businesses, designing pamphlets and banners. Slowly, he built a small portfolio and began earning side income from his creative work. It was here that Bhagat realized — creativity could be his path out of poverty.
Within a year, he transitioned from manual labor to digital design, symbolizing a profound personal shift — from an office boy to a creative professional.
Founding “Design Template” — India’s Canva Rival
In 2018, Bhagat took a leap of faith and launched Design Template, a cloud-based design platform tailored for Indian small businesses, startups, and regional creators.
While international tools like Canva were popular, Bhagat noticed a gap — limited local language support and templates suited for Indian festivals, businesses, and events. Design Template aimed to bridge that gap, offering regional typography, vernacular content, and easy access for first-time internet users.
Operating from a small rented office in Pune, Bhagat and his three-member team bootstrapped the platform, combining affordability with innovation. Despite resource constraints, the startup began to grow — first through word-of-mouth, then through social media buzz.
Pandemic Challenges and Rural Reinvention
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Bhagat was forced to close his Pune office and return to his native village in Beed. With no stable internet connection, he improvised — setting up a workspace near a cowshed on a hilltop to catch mobile signals.
There, Bhagat rebuilt operations with his small team, continuing to onboard clients remotely. He began training local youth in design, turning adversity into an opportunity for rural empowerment.
“If you can’t find opportunities, you create them — even from a cowshed,” Bhagat said in a recent interview.
By 2021, Design Template had grown to serve thousands of users across India, supporting multiple Indian languages and small-business marketing needs.
A Shark Tank Milestone
Bhagat’s inspiring “Office Boy to CEO” story caught national attention when he appeared on Shark Tank India Season 4. His confident pitch — detailing his journey from a ₹9,000 salary to a crore-valued company — moved both viewers and investors.
He secured an investment deal from Aman Gupta, co-founder of boAt, for ₹1 crore in exchange for 10% equity, valuing the startup at ₹10 crore. The episode went viral across social media platforms, with Bhagat becoming a symbol of 10th pass success and entrepreneurial inspiration.
Design Template Today
Today, Design Template employs over 40 professionals and partners with small enterprises across India. The platform provides templates, design tools, and brand-building resources for creators in vernacular markets.
Valued in crores, Bhagat’s startup has become a case study in India’s grassroots innovation ecosystem. It has been recognized by several entrepreneurship forums for its contribution to digital inclusion and rural empowerment.
The Larger Message: Beyond Degrees and Background
Dadasaheb Bhagat’s rise challenges traditional notions of success in India’s tech landscape. In an ecosystem often dominated by IIT and IIM graduates, his story proves that vision, persistence, and self-learning can rival formal education.
His journey resonates deeply with India’s youth — especially those from small towns who believe success belongs only to the privileged. Bhagat continues to travel across India, giving motivational talks to inspire others to chase their dreams despite limitations.
“Education helps, but attitude decides everything,” he often says.
Excerpt (for snippet):
From a 10th pass office boy at Infosys earning ₹9,000 to the CEO of Design Template, India’s Canva rival — Dadasaheb Bhagat’s story redefines success through hard work, creativity, and resilience.
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