AppsForBharat raises ₹175 crore Series C to scale Sri Mandir platform

AppsForBharat secures ₹175 crore in Series C funding to deepen digital temple services, expand into 20 towns, and enhance AI-driven devotional experiences

AppsForBharat, the parent firm of the devotion platform Sri Mandir, on Monday announced it has raised ₹175 crore in a Series C funding round led by Susquehanna Asia Venture Capital, with participation from existing investors Nandan Nilekani’s Fundamentum, Elevation Capital, and Peak XV Partners.

 

The funds will be used to invest in over 20 temple towns—including Varanasi, Ujjain, Ayodhya, and Haridwar—strengthen services and commerce verticals, establish fulfilment and logistics hubs, and build AI-led features to bolster user engagement.

 

Founded by Prashant Sachan in 2020, the app enables devotees to participate in online pujas, offer goods, receive prasad, and access devotional content. AppsForBharat has over four crore downloads to date.

 

 

In the last 12 months, nearly 12 lakh devotees have performed 52 lakh online pujas and made offerings at more than 70 temples across India. The app also has a global presence, with nearly 20 per cent of demand coming from the Indian diaspora living in the US, UK, UAE, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

 

Prashant Sachan, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AppsForBharat, said, “With this fundraise, we are entering the next phase of growth—scaling temple partnerships, improving digital infrastructure for temples, and building AI capabilities to serve our users better. We have grown by 2x in the last six months and have been able to create significant value for our temple partners and our devotees.” 

 

Overall, India is home to over 6.5 lakh temples and contributes an estimated ₹3 lakh crore (nearly 2.3 per cent of GDP) annually through services, commerce, and religious tourism, the company said in a statement.

 

At the Mahakumbh Mela 2025, the app served as the exclusive digital partner of the Vedashram Trust and over three lakh devotees accessed its services, including guided devotional experiences (both online and offline), personalised pujas, and delivery of holy Triveni Sangam Jal to their homes.

 

The company claimed it has improved earnings for temples, with online puja bookings contributing an additional 25–30 per cent, while also driving demand for prasad and other ritual supplies among local vendors.