14 years in software, then a switch to farming: This Odisha engineer now runs a ₹16-19 lakh monthly mushroom business
The mushrooms are supplied to markets in Brahmapur and Bhubaneswar, allowing the unit to operate through the year.
- Aug 26, 2026,
- Updated Aug 26, 2026 8:15 AM IST
After 14 years in the IT industry, an Odisha engineer has traded software projects and corporate roles for a very different business, commercial mushroom farming in his hometown of Nabarangpur.
Vikramdev Mohapatra, who holds a BTech in Electronics and Communications Engineering, returned home after years in the technology sector and set up Ganga Bhumi Mushrooms. The venture now produces 500-600 kg of mushrooms a day and generates reported monthly revenue of ₹16-19 lakh.
The business also employs 24 people from the local community, including 18 women and six men.
From BTech to a career in IT
Vikramdev completed his BTech from Biju Patnaik University of Technology, Odisha, in 2012. He then spent 14 years working in the technology industry, with stints at Discoverture Solutions, Mindtree, Serole Technologies and LTIMindtree.
His career included roles such as software engineer, module lead, technical lead and senior specialist in package implementation. His work involved software development, product implementation, SAP solutions, team management and client coordination.
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But after more than a decade in the corporate sector, he decided to return to Nabarangpur and start a business in agriculture.
That led to the creation of Ganga Bhumi Mushrooms, a commercial mushroom production and processing venture.
500-600 kg of mushrooms every day
The operation is considerably larger than a typical small farming unit. According to figures reported by The Times of India, the business produces around 500-600 kg of mushrooms every day, translating to 15-18 tonnes a month.
The mushrooms are supplied to markets in Brahmapur and Bhubaneswar, allowing the unit to operate through the year.
The reported figures include:
- Daily production: 500-600 kg
- Monthly production: 15-18 tonnes
- Monthly revenue: ₹16-19 lakh
- Average selling price: around ₹100-110 per kg
- Project cost: around ₹2.56 crore
- Government subsidy: ₹97 lakh under the Mukhyamantri Krushi Udyog Yojana
The business reportedly earns more than ₹10 lakh a month after operating expenses.
The production, revenue and employment figures have not been independently verified by The Times of India.
A business creating jobs locally
Vikramdev's move back home has also created employment in the community. Ganga Bhumi Mushrooms currently employs 24 people, 18 women and six men.
The venture therefore goes beyond being a career switch for its founder. It has become a local business providing jobs while supplying mushrooms to larger markets in Odisha.
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What his IT career brings to farming
Mushroom cultivation may appear far removed from software development, but running the operation at this scale involves many of the same organisational skills used in the corporate world.
Production planning, managing teams, coordinating supplies, maintaining systems and getting the final produce to markets are all part of running the business.
For Vikramdev, the shift from technology to agriculture was not simply a move from one job to another. It was a decision to use his experience in a new setting, building a commercial farming business in the place he calls home.
After 14 years in the IT industry, an Odisha engineer has traded software projects and corporate roles for a very different business, commercial mushroom farming in his hometown of Nabarangpur.
Vikramdev Mohapatra, who holds a BTech in Electronics and Communications Engineering, returned home after years in the technology sector and set up Ganga Bhumi Mushrooms. The venture now produces 500-600 kg of mushrooms a day and generates reported monthly revenue of ₹16-19 lakh.
The business also employs 24 people from the local community, including 18 women and six men.
From BTech to a career in IT
Vikramdev completed his BTech from Biju Patnaik University of Technology, Odisha, in 2012. He then spent 14 years working in the technology industry, with stints at Discoverture Solutions, Mindtree, Serole Technologies and LTIMindtree.
His career included roles such as software engineer, module lead, technical lead and senior specialist in package implementation. His work involved software development, product implementation, SAP solutions, team management and client coordination.
Don't Miss: From ₹10 a day to ₹681 crore food empire: How PC Musthafa, a school dropout build iD Fresh Food?
But after more than a decade in the corporate sector, he decided to return to Nabarangpur and start a business in agriculture.
That led to the creation of Ganga Bhumi Mushrooms, a commercial mushroom production and processing venture.
500-600 kg of mushrooms every day
The operation is considerably larger than a typical small farming unit. According to figures reported by The Times of India, the business produces around 500-600 kg of mushrooms every day, translating to 15-18 tonnes a month.
The mushrooms are supplied to markets in Brahmapur and Bhubaneswar, allowing the unit to operate through the year.
The reported figures include:
- Daily production: 500-600 kg
- Monthly production: 15-18 tonnes
- Monthly revenue: ₹16-19 lakh
- Average selling price: around ₹100-110 per kg
- Project cost: around ₹2.56 crore
- Government subsidy: ₹97 lakh under the Mukhyamantri Krushi Udyog Yojana
The business reportedly earns more than ₹10 lakh a month after operating expenses.
The production, revenue and employment figures have not been independently verified by The Times of India.
A business creating jobs locally
Vikramdev's move back home has also created employment in the community. Ganga Bhumi Mushrooms currently employs 24 people, 18 women and six men.
The venture therefore goes beyond being a career switch for its founder. It has become a local business providing jobs while supplying mushrooms to larger markets in Odisha.
Must Read: 'You won't disappear and become a professor': Piyush Goyal invokes Jack Ma to woo Japanese investors
What his IT career brings to farming
Mushroom cultivation may appear far removed from software development, but running the operation at this scale involves many of the same organisational skills used in the corporate world.
Production planning, managing teams, coordinating supplies, maintaining systems and getting the final produce to markets are all part of running the business.
For Vikramdev, the shift from technology to agriculture was not simply a move from one job to another. It was a decision to use his experience in a new setting, building a commercial farming business in the place he calls home.