Pune Inc: Bootstrapped insurance broker plans to increase network through rural India

Digisafe received its licence from IRDA in August and is already associated with more than 100 villages. Their products offer insurance for life, motor, health, livestock and crop.

3 min readPuneNov 2, 2021 10:39 AM IST

Ashwin Arora, Anupam Shrey, Rajat Dhar, Suman Roy Choudhury and Mallikarjun Kukunuri

A bootstrapped insurance broker from Pune, Digisafe, is working towards bringing large sections of rural India under the insurance umbrella. Founded by Mallikarjun Kukunuri, Suman Roy Choudhury, Anupam Shrey, Rajat Dhar, and Ashwin Arora, who have worked with several leading companies in the insurance sector for more than 15 years, Digisafe is targeting 3,000 villages over the next six months.

They received licence from Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDA) in August and are already associated with more than 100 villages. Their products offer insurance for life, motor, health, livestock and crop.

Earlier this year, IRDA had spoken of the importance of increasing insurance penetration in rural India catering to agricultural and allied needs. The organisation had added that the majority of the rural population was not aware of the concept of insurance, its advantages or how to go about it. “The penetration level in rural India is around 1-2 per cent. If we subtract flagship programmes from the Government of India, it would be around zero per cent. What we realised is that there were demands in rural India to be insured but they wanted a simple and affordable product. We are working with insurance companies to co-create such products,” says Roy Choudhury.

The target villages are in UP, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana at present. “If you look at states such as UP and Maharashtra, there are deep rural populations that are untouched by insurance,” says Kukunuri. Digisafe calculated the number of blocks in each state and, now, their manpower is present in 65 blocks. Slowly, they plan to move into other states and villages.

“Digisafe will empower rural people including farmers by supporting them to make informed decisions and increasing employment opportunities and revenue. It has been conceptualised on the decade-long extensive research and analysis done by its founding team who explored the crop insurance segment across several states in India and concluded their observational analysis in a localised survey under the flagship agri insurance scheme,” says Shrey.

The company’s provisions include DigiOne, a partnership programme between Digisafe and channel partners that will identify, train and develop a team of certified point-of-sale persons for insurance distribution through a combination of physical and digital modes; 1 Gram Insurance, which aims to extend insurance cover to every household of a village; and the Mera Assistant App for rural people. Through these instruments, the company aims to become “a complete support ecosystem for rural Indians by ensuring a high-speed claim settlement and end-to-end assistance at their doorstep”.

Dipanita Nath

Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life. Professional Background Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint. Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series). Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season: 1. Climate & Environment "Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week. "How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site. "Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner. 2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage "Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle. "Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport. "The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle. 3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc" "Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema. "Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups. "How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor. Signature Style Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune. X (Twitter): @dipanitanath ... Read More

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