By Startup Story Team
Major Boost for India’s Spiritual Tech Ecosystem:
AppsForBharat, the parent company behind the popular devotional app Sri Mandir, has successfully raised ₹175 crore (approximately $21 million) in its latest funding round. The round was led by global investment firm Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia Capital India), with participation from returning investors such as Elevation Capital and Vertex Ventures.
This fresh capital infusion comes at a time when the demand for faith-based and spiritual digital platforms in India is rapidly growing, and AppsForBharat is emerging as one of the pioneers in this niche.
What is AppsForBharat?
Founded in 2020 by Prashant Sachan (also the co-founder of Trell), AppsForBharat builds apps and digital products catering to India’s spiritual and devotional needs. Its flagship app Sri Mandir has gained massive popularity among Indian users for offering personalized prayer services, devotional content, and live darshan from temples across the country.
The platform aims to bring technology and tradition together-enabling people from all parts of India (and abroad) to stay connected with their faith from their mobile phones.
Where Will the Funds Be Used?
According to the company, the ₹175 crore raised will primarily be used for:
- Product development: Enhancing the Sri Mandir app with new features like live temple feeds, personalized devotional journeys, and multilingual support.
- Content expansion: Increasing the number of rituals, prayers, aarti libraries, and regional content on the platform.
- Hiring and talent: Expanding their team across tech, product, and operations.
- Scaling infrastructure: Building a stronger backend to support millions of daily active users and handle growing user engagement.
The goal is to make Sri Mandir a one-stop platform for all things spiritual and devotional in India.
Sri Mandir’s Rapid Rise in Popularity:
Since its launch, Sri Mandir has attracted a loyal user base across tier-2 and tier-3 cities, where digital devotional platforms are still under-penetrated. The app offers a range of services including:
- Virtual darshan from top temples
- Daily aarti and bhajans
- Astrology services
- Community features like group prayers and shared rituals
With spirituality being a core part of Indian culture, especially among the older and rural population, Sri Mandir has tapped into a massive opportunity.
The Bigger Vision: Building a Spiritual Super App:
AppsForBharat’s long-term vision is to create a spiritual ecosystem-something similar to a “super app” for faith. The platform hopes to include features such as:
- Devotional e-commerce (puja samagri, idols, books)
- Donation options for temples
- Event and festival-based content
- Learning modules about Indian scriptures and mythology
With India’s spirituality-tech segment still in its early stages, this funding gives AppsForBharat the firepower to lead the market and shape how Indians connect with their faith in the digital age.
