Pune-based engineer Amit Godse has transformed his life from a high-paying job to an inspiring mission of saving honeybees. Disturbed after witnessing a pest control company destroy a large beehive in his housing society, Amit decided to dedicate himself to protecting bees. In 2014, he quit his job and began studying honeybees across the country, even spending time in tribal hamlets to understand them better.
In 2016, Amit founded Bee Basket in Pune, which today has a nine-member team rescuing wild and domesticated bees in Pune and Mumbai. Instead of eradicating hives, Bee Basket safely relocates them to open farms where they aid in pollination and farming. “Till now, we have rescued more than 17,000 beehives,” said Amit, who is now popularly known as the Pune Bee Man. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also appreciated this initiative during his Mann Ki Baat address on May 25, 2025.
Bee Basket not only rescues bees but also supplies them to farmers for pollination, produces honey and byproducts like wax and jelly, and even creates honeybee and butterfly parks for corporates. The company charges between Rs. 1,500 and Rs. 3,000 per rescue operation, depending on the species, and the process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours. Despite challenges like urban impatience with stray bees, Bee Basket has grown steadily, achieving an annual turnover of Rs. 65 lakh in FY2025 with 35 percent profit. Amit now aims to expand the model across Maharashtra with a mission that no bee should ever be killed unnecessarily.
