Ashok Khade: From Cobbler’s Son to Rs 350-Crore Founder
By Business Desk
Discover how Ashok Khade rose from extreme poverty as a cobbler’s son to build the Rs 350-crore engineering firm DAS Offshore and earned a Padma Shri.
Ashok Khade’s trajectory from the son of a cobbler to the founder of a Rs 350-crore engineering powerhouse is a masterclass in grit. Born into extreme financial hardship, his parents worked as a labourer and a cobbler, yet he managed to navigate a path to professional success.
The Key Metrics of Success
The scale of his achievement is defined by the following:
- Company name: DAS Offshore
- Annual revenue milestone: Rs 350 crore
- Recognition: Padma Shri award recipient
After completing his education, Khade sought opportunities abroad to sharpen his technical skills. He gained critical experience working in the Middle East, which provided the necessary vision to eventually return home.
Building a Legacy
Upon his return to India, he launched his own venture, DAS Offshore. The company eventually scaled to significant heights, providing employment to thousands of workers across the region.
This journey serves as a powerful reminder of how technical expertise and persistence can break cycle-of-poverty barriers. His transition from a background of scarcity to a decorated entrepreneur remains a benchmark for domestic industrial growth.