Published in The Indian Express on 8 September 2026, this Pune Inc feature by Dipanita Nath profiles Proximal Soilsens Technologies, a startup founded by Dr. Rajul Patkar in 2017. The company has developed a compact, phone-connected soil-testing device that provides real-time information on nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, along with soil moisture, weather and crop growth. By giving farmers timely, soil-specific insights, the technology aims to help them use fertilisers more precisely instead of relying on general recommendations.
Supported by Venture Center, NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission and IIT Startups, the startup’s technology is reaching an estimated 10,000–15,000 farmers across several Indian states. The article also explores Patkar’s determination to reduce unnecessary chemical use in agriculture, driven in part by personal loss. Her work illustrates how science-led entrepreneurship can connect soil health, sustainable farming and human well-being.