Rajat Kosh: The Face Behind Falvarish.

March 09, 2025

Rajat Kosh: The Face Behind Falvarish

Welcome back to another episode of our Homies & Stories series! Today, we bring you a truly unique story—one of a skater transforming his native village, Kotgarh (Shimla), through his inspiring agricultural initiative, Falvarish.

Rajat is many things—a techie, a skater, a filmmaker, a car enthusiast, and a problem solver, to name a few. A few years ago, he made a bold decision to leave behind a well-established career and return to his roots in farming. His vision? To support marginal farmers in Himachal by helping them cultivate high-quality, organically grown fruits, ensuring they can make a sustainable living.

My Story with Rajat

Vaibhav (Piso): There’s so much to say about Rajat! I first met him through our mutual friend and team rider, Nunkima Ralte. Rajat was in Goa filming Kima, and that’s how we connected. From the moment we met, our vibes instantly clicked! Even though our time together was short, it felt like we had known each other for years. It’s truly fascinating to see how much Rajat has achieved in such a short span, starting completely from scratch. His deep understanding of farming, soil studies, and fruit cultivation is incredible. Every time we meet, we feel like we’ve only scratched the surface—there’s always more to share and learn!

I won’t take up too much of your time—let’s dive into Rajat’s journey and his mission to make nutritionally rich, organically, and sustainably grown fruits accessible to everyone.

Rajat’s Story

Tell us a little about yourself:

I’m Rajat Kosh, born in the quaint village of Kotgarh (Shimla), Himachal Pradesh, and raised in Chandigarh. From a young age, I was fascinated by science and had a deep passion for robotics. I completed my schooling in Chandigarh and later earned a B.E. in Computer Science & Engineering from UIET, Punjab University.

Over the years, I’ve founded multiple startups—some succeeded, some didn’t—but each one was a learning experience. Currently, I’m actively working on Hinges AI (a tech startup) and Falvarish (a fresh produce startup).

Tell us something about Kotgarh, your village

Kotgarh is known for its rich apple heritage. In fact, the first apple seeds/grafts in India were planted here by Satyananda Stokes, an American who settled in India and also played a role in the Indian Independence Movement. Thanks to his efforts, apple cultivation became a major horticultural industry in Himachal Pradesh. Though Kotgarh isn’t a major tourist hub, it’s a beautiful, peaceful retreat—a perfect place to pause, unwind, and reconnect with nature.

How was your childhood? How was your school/college life?

I was an average student in school, but I was always fascinated by science and electronics. I would go out of my way to participate in science fairs and explore anything related to technology. However, college completely changed my perspective.

For the first time, I traveled to different parts of the India for robotics competitions, and that experience sparked something in me. I realized how exciting the combination of computers and robotics could be—it wasn’t just about screens; it was about creating real-world innovations. By my fourth year, I had already started receiving job offers, but instead, I decided to launch my own venture. My friend Puneet (who is also a co-founder of Falvarish), Rahul and I developed an indoor navigation technology during our early college years. We designed the entire tech ourselves, but unfortunately, it was ahead of its time and didn’t find the right market fit.

How you got into skateboarding?

Skateboarding always fascinated me, but back then, there was no real skate culture or community around me. I started skateboarding in 2012 with my first board from a local sports shop—a Jonex board with plastic trucks. I attempted my first ollie and immediately snapped it in half.

My actual first skateboard came later, around 2013, as a birthday gift from my brother—a proper Oxelo Red Galaxy board. Back then, skateboards were really expensive, and Decathlon was still new. The real journey began in 2013 with my friend Divyanshu Bali. At the time, it was just the two of us, actively skating whenever and wherever we could. Over time, we met more like-minded people and eventually formed Wheelbite Skate Crew in Chandigarh. We’ve come a long way since then! Today, Chandigarh has a dedicated skatepark, and a new generation of talented skateboarders is emerging from the city. It’s amazing to see how much the scene has grown.

Falvarish

Tell us something about Falvarish, what is Falvarish?

Falvarish is my brainchild, born out of a vision to revolutionize the way farmers earn and receive fair prices for their produce. My hometown, Kotgarh, was once famous for its apples (in fact, the first-ever apple in India was cultivated here). But over time, things changed drastically.

I’ve seen firsthand the harmful effects of excessive pesticide and chemical farming. But the real issue goes beyond farming practices—farmers have little to no control over pricing. They are forced to grow what the market demands rather than what is best for their land or sustainability. Middlemen and traders dictate prices, often leaving farmers with unfairly low earnings and minimal say in their own livelihood.

That’s where Falvarish comes in. Our goal is to eliminate or reduce unnecessary middlemen and create a direct farm-to-table system—with a twist. Unlike conventional models, we ensure that payments go directly to farmers, and consumers can even adopt a tree, harvest their own fruit when in season, and trace their produce end-to-end—knowing when, where, and how their fruit was grown. This level of transparency and connection makes Falvarish more than just a marketplace; it’s a movement towards ethical, sustainable agriculture. With so many adulterated and subpar fruits flooding local markets, I felt a strong need to do something for my hometown. Having all the comforts of a well-settled life didn’t feel right when I knew my roots needed change. As a Kotgarhi, it only made sense to start this initiative in my own backyard. Even if my contribution is small, I knew I had to take this step.

Over the past few years, we’ve built a fairly automated system—from selecting the right farmers to final delivery. While I still oversee operations, I no longer have to manage it full-time, thanks to an incredible team. A huge shoutout to Saurav, Jaipal, and Pankaj Ji, along with everyone who believes in this mission. It’s because of them that I can keep Falvarish sustainable while continuing to explore the world.

When did Falvarish start, how the journey it has been since then?

Falvarish was founded in 2020, right after I left Insync. However, the lockdown hit soon after, causing some delays. Thankfully, by August 2020, we were back on track and kicked off our first season. Since then, it’s been a roller coaster ride. We started with 15 farmers and grew to 57 farmers in just two years. By our third year, we had over 150 farmers registered, with 55 already certified organic—and we continue working to onboard more.

Being a skater, how is it helping you in run this show?

Skateboarding has been the one constant that has kept me grounded. It has introduced me to incredible people, lifelong friendships, and new experiences—all because of a shared love for skating. More than just a sport, skateboarding teaches you to be open, to embrace challenges, and to push past fear. Simply having the courage to try, even when something feels intimidating, is a victory in itself.

Similarly, Falvarish has had its share of ups and downs, but just like in skateboarding, the community is always there to support you and have been a huge part of this journey. In fact, in our first year, most of our orders came from my skateboarding family, and from there, it grew through word-of-mouth. Skateboarding is deeply embedded in Falvarish—one of my co-founders (Angad) is a skateboarder, and even my first intern (Divyanshu) came from the skateboarding community. It teaches you a simple but powerful lesson: fall, get back up, and keep going. As cliché as it may sound, that’s exactly what we’re doing with Falvarish. And honestly, it doesn’t get any more real than that.

What skateboarding means to you?

To me, skateboarding represents freedom and openness. It has been one of my biggest inspirations, and what I appreciate most about it is how inclusive and welcoming the culture is. I’ve traveled to different parts of the world and connected with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures, all through a shared love for skating. The way this community embraces you—no matter where you are—is truly incredible. You can find a sense of belonging even in a completely unfamiliar place, and that, in itself, is something truly powerful.

What is that makes skateboarding different than any other sport?

What sets skateboarding apart from other sports is its expressive nature. It’s more than just a sport—it’s a form of self-expression. The way a simple piece of wood on wheels connects and transcends generations is truly beautiful.

In skateboarding, there’s no judgment, no race, no discrimination—just pure freedom. There are no strict rules or single right way to do things. You skate how you feel, express yourself however you want, and there’s no room for insecurity or fear of judgment—just the freedom to be yourself.

What will be your message to all the new skaters who are just beginning?

Enjoy skateboarding for what it truly is—a culture, a community, and a form of self-expression. Don’t rush into competition or treat it like a race. Learning tricks is part of skateboarding, but it’s not the only thing that matters.

With skateboarding now in the Olympics, it has brought both opportunities and challenges. While it’s great to see more people getting into skateboarding, I also see it becoming more of a structured curriculum rather than a creative outlet. I respect that, but my message to new skateboarders is simple: Don’t do it just because it’s in a curriculum—do it because you love it. If you’re truly passionate about skateboarding, you’ll naturally find ways to improve. And that’s how you become the best skateboarder in your world—by staying true to yourself.

So that was it folks! The story behind Falvarish. See you all again in our next episode of Homies and stories, till then keep pushing and keep growing.

By Skaters, For Skaters.

Vaibhav Rasam

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