How S R Ayan built Katidhan to protect farmers and wildlife with smart technology

Business Remedies | Rajshree Upadhyaya | Katidhan began as a restless idea turned practical mission when founder S R Ayan set out to stop the recurring destruction of farmland by wild animals using engineering and design rather than force. The Bengaluru-based team, built around engineers and product designers, translated field observations into usable hardware and software and formally launched the venture in 2017 with a clear mandate to reduce crop losses and protect livelihoods.

What followed was steady iteration on low-cost, resilient devices that leaned on animal behaviour rather than harm. The company’s flagship offering, Parabraksh, is a solar-powered autonomous deterrent that combines light patterns, timed activation, and behaviour-oriented triggers to nudge animals away from fields. Alongside it, Katidhan developed Kapikaat and a suite of wildlife monitoring and tracking systems tailored for different species and landscapes so that agencies and farmers could choose solutions suited to local needs. These products evolved from lab prototypes to field-tested deployments, reflecting a product design ethos that prioritised reliability under rural conditions.

Katidhan’s pitch on Shark Tank India brought its work into the national spotlight and crystallised commercial interest. On the show, the founder sought investment to scale deployments and reported traction in government and institutional channels. Post-episode discussions noted interest from investors around a combined equity and debt offer, signalling confidence in the technology’s ability to address a persistent agrarian challenge. The appearance amplified demand inquiries and introduced Katidhan to a broader set of stakeholders, including state agencies and conservation groups.

Growth since the television spotlight has been measured but focused on mission-led scale rather than rapid consumer frenzy. Independent reports documented installations across hundreds of farms and claimed reductions in crop loss where systems were properly sited and maintained. The company has also been recognised regionally and continues to develop complementary AI-based early warning features to improve detection and response times in conflict zones. Those working with Katidhan report increases in farmer confidence and fewer financial shocks from wildlife incursions-outcomes the team uses to guide further engineering improvements.

Today, Katidhan remains operational and visible online with an active company website, social media presence, and contact channels for new buyers and institutional partners. The brand continues to emphasise field longevity and cost-effectiveness as its selling points while exploring government tenders and B2B channels that can amplify reach across landscapes where human-wildlife interfaces are most acute. For anyone curious about the company’s current offerings, regular product mentions and public visibility confirm its ongoing operations.

The story of Katidhan reads like a product-first startup that kept one foot in the lab and two feet in farmers’ fields, choosing measurable mitigation over headline-grabbing spectacle. By marrying solar-powered deterrent lights and analytics-driven monitoring systems with a grassroots rollout, the company fashioned a pragmatic path to protecting both crops and animals while carving a niche where technology and conservation meet.

Written & Edited By:

Rajshree Upadhyaya