Student Innovator Parul Sihag Brings Matsya Saarthi to National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management

In an era where technology is redefining agriculture in India, youth-led innovations are emerging as pivotal drivers of change. Among these, Parul Sihag, a fourth-year B.F.Sc student at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, has made a notable impact with Matsya Saarthi, the country’s first AI-powered digital platform tailored specifically for fish farmers. The platform was recently showcased at the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) during the RKVY-RAFTAAR Student Orientation Program, a month-long mentoring initiative designed to nurture young agri-entrepreneurs through business training, market validation, and investor-oriented pitch development.

Matsya Saarthi has been conceptualized to tackle persistent challenges faced by fish farmers across India. Traditional aquaculture practices often leave farmers vulnerable to delayed disease detection, limited access to expert advisory services, fragmented pond management systems, and heavy dependence on middlemen for marketing their produce. These challenges contribute to significant financial losses and reduce operational efficiency. Matsya Saarthi integrates advanced artificial intelligence to address these gaps, offering a comprehensive digital ecosystem that allows farmers to upload images of their fish for AI-based disease detection, receive real-time pond and weather advisories, access species-specific guidance, and connect directly with buyers and suppliers. Available in both Hindi and English with voice support, the platform ensures inclusivity and ease of use, even for farmers with limited literacy or prior digital experience.

Speaking about the platform, Parul Sihag, Founder of Matsya Saarthi, emphasized the farmer-centric approach that guided its development:

“Matsya Saarthi is built from the ground up for Indian fish farmers. Our goal is to harness artificial intelligence and digital tools to make aquaculture more efficient, reduce losses, and provide timely, reliable guidance directly at the farm level.”

The idea for Matsya Saarthi emerged from extensive field interactions with aquaculture farmers, where recurring problems were observed, ranging from disease outbreaks in ponds to fragmented advisory systems and limited digital access. Sihag combined these insights with academic research and practical experimentation to develop a platform that is not only technologically sophisticated but also user-friendly and scalable.

The platform’s presentation at MANAGE underscored its relevance and potential impact. Mentors and experts at the orientation program highlighted the importance of authentic field data, continuous farmer validation, and scalable business planning in agri-tech ventures. Among the key advisors guiding the project was Rahul Sihag, a tech mentor specializing in AI integration and digital agriculture solutions. Speaking about Matsya Saarthi, Rahul said:

“Bringing complex technologies like machine learning into the hands of farmers requires not just technical expertise but also deep understanding of user needs. Matsya Saarthi combines robust AI capabilities with a simple, intuitive interface, enabling farmers to make data-driven decisions while reducing their dependence on intermediaries. It’s a model for how digital innovation can empower rural communities and transform the aquaculture sector.”

Unlike traditional government initiatives that primarily focus on infrastructure, financial assistance, or cooperative models, Matsya Saarthi positions itself as a complementary digital solution that works at the grassroots level. Programs such as the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) provide vital support in terms of infrastructure and funding, but there remains a critical need for timely advisory services, disease management, and direct market connectivity. Matsya Saarthi bridges this gap by delivering real-time, actionable information, thus enabling farmers to optimize productivity, reduce mortality in fish stocks, and secure fair market prices.

Experts point out that the adoption of digital solutions like Matsya Saarthi represents a broader trend in Indian agriculture: technology-driven, youth-led innovation aimed at solving traditional challenges with modern tools. The platform demonstrates how artificial intelligence, combined with user-friendly design and multilingual voice support, can create inclusive solutions that benefit diverse stakeholders across rural India. By offering farmers direct access to suppliers, buyers, and expert guidance, the platform reduces dependency on intermediaries and fosters transparency in the aquaculture value chain.

The platform has been rigorously designed to reflect real-world needs. During its development phase, field testing and iterative feedback played a crucial role in shaping features. Farmers were involved at every stage, ensuring that disease detection algorithms, advisory systems, and market connectivity features were practical, accurate, and relevant. Continuous data collection from pilot regions further strengthens the AI models, allowing the platform to deliver increasingly precise recommendations and insights over time.

Matsya Saarthi’s holistic approach integrates technology, mentorship, and practical experience. Through the RKVY-RAFTAAR Student Orientation Program, Parul Sihag received guidance on business model refinement, market positioning, and investor engagement, transforming an innovative idea into a scalable solution. Mentors at MANAGE highlighted that success in agri-tech ventures depends not only on technological innovation but also on sustained field engagement, iterative validation, and alignment with farmer needs. This mentorship has been instrumental in shaping Matsya Saarthi into a comprehensive, farmer-centric digital platform.

From the farmers’ perspective, the platform’s benefits are immediate and tangible. Early users have reported faster disease detection, improved pond management, and greater ease in connecting with buyers. These improvements translate directly into reduced losses, enhanced productivity, and higher profitability. By democratizing access to expert advisory services and AI-powered diagnostics, Matsya Saarthi empowers farmers to make informed decisions, transforming aquaculture from a largely reactive industry into a proactive, data-driven enterprise.

The platform also reflects a broader narrative of youth-led technological intervention in agriculture. India has a growing population of young innovators who are leveraging technology to address sectoral gaps, and Matsya Saarthi exemplifies this trend. By combining academic research, field-level insights, and AI technology, Parul Sihag and his team have created a solution that is both locally relevant and scalable across the country.

In addition to its technical strengths, Matsya Saarthi is noteworthy for its inclusivity. By providing multilingual support and voice-enabled interfaces, the platform ensures accessibility for farmers across regions and literacy levels. The integration of real-time advisories, AI-based disease diagnostics, and direct market access fosters not only efficiency but also economic empowerment, allowing fish farmers to retain more value from their produce.

Looking ahead, the team behind Matsya Saarthi plans to expand its reach through further pilot testing and integration with additional fisheries stakeholders. Continuous feedback loops from field-level operations will refine the platform, improving both AI accuracy and the relevance of advisory services. The ultimate vision is a fully scalable, nationwide digital ecosystem for aquaculture that combines the precision of AI with the human insights of farmers and experts alike.

Rahul Sihag, the platform’s tech mentor, emphasized the significance of this approach:

“Technology alone is not enough. What makes Matsya Saarthi special is its combination of advanced AI with farmer-first design. By aligning the platform with the day-to-day realities of aquaculture, it ensures that innovation is not just theoretical but transformative on the ground.”

The live prototype of Matsya Saarthi is currently available for early demonstration and use at www.matsyasaarthi.online/app. Its rollout marks a pivotal moment in India’s push toward digitally enabled, youth-driven innovation in agriculture and allied sectors, offering a blueprint for future AI-based interventions that can empower farmers, optimize production, and strengthen supply chains.

In conclusion, Matsya Saarthi embodies a convergence of youth innovation, technological sophistication, and practical agricultural insight. Led by Parul Sihag, supported by expert mentorship from Rahul Sihag, and shaped through extensive farmer engagement, the platform illustrates the transformative potential of AI in aquaculture. By providing real-time guidance, actionable insights, and direct market access, Matsya Saarthi is poised to redefine fish farming in India, setting a precedent for how technology and youth-led entrepreneurship can address traditional agricultural challenges and deliver measurable impact at scale.