Yogesh grew up in Bamorikala, a remote village in the Baran district of Rajasthan. His father, a farmer, worked tirelessly on their field to provide for their family. But years of hard labour finally caught up to him when, in 2017, during Yogesh’s first year of college, his father’s back pain became too hard to bear. Yogesh decided to skip his first-year exams to come home and help his father with the crop.
Unfortunately, the long hours of working in the heat of the sun and the physical exertion of driving a tractor all day took a toll on Yogesh’s health and he fell sick. He quickly realised that he needed to do something to help his father with the hard labour.
An innovator at heart, Yogesh started thinking outside the box and came up with the idea of developing a driverless tractor. He started researching the technology online. But no matter where he looked, he was told that such a complex machine couldn’t be made in India. “Even my friends studying Polytechnique told me it was impossible.”
With no formal education in engineering, Yogesh embarked on the mission all by himself. Then, he pitched his innovation to his dad. “Papa straight up told me to drop my plan, it sounded nonsensical to him,” he recollects. But Yogesh somehow convinced him.
“Whenever Papa met his friends, they’d taunt and ridicule him, saying I’m wasting my time over nothing.” Over the course of 6 months that went into building the tractor, Yogesh failed 20 times. But he didn’t let the setbacks affect him and soon he completed his innovation.
“The villagers were speechless; they couldn’t believe the tractor was moving on its own! A few even made videos and my innovation went viral on social media.”
Today, Yogesh is in his final year of B. Tech and has patented his innovation. His father can operate the tractor from one corner of the farm and till the land with the help of a remote control. Yogesh was able to create something unique and help people, because he ignored the naysayers and focused on his goal!
Mahindra salutes the challenger spirit of people like Yogesh who remind us that with grit and determination, we can change the world and help the people around us #Rise.
Ilma, a small-town girl with a big dream, refused to let the doubts of many stop her. She secured a full-ride scholarship at Oxford and returned home to help India. Today, she works for the IPS and promotes education for the underprivileged. #Rise
Harminder’s potential was dismissed by many. Not only did he fight to recover fully but, he also took his skill and love for sculpting to a global platform. Today, he is a proud recipient of many prestigious awards.
Neha comes from a long line of freedom fighters and agriculturists. Her passion for her country compelled her to return to India after completing her masters to help villagers live sustainably. #Rise