Sridhar Vembu, founder of Zoho Corporation, built a global tech giant from scratch. Zoho’s Arattai app challenges WhatsApp with privacy focus. Vembu’s vision of rural entrepreneurship and innovation earned him the Padma Shri and a $5.8B net worth.
Sridhar Vembu Success Story: The indigenous messaging app Arattai is making headlines across India and beyond, and it is important to know the story behind its creation. Developed by India’s own Zoho Corporation, Arattai is much more than just a chat app. Zoho stands as a formidable competitor to global giants like Microsoft in the field of business and office tools. Founded by Sridhar Vembu, Zoho demonstrates that with passion and vision a world-class technology company can be built from a village. Recently Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared a video on X (formerly Twitter) announcing his shift from Microsoft Office to Zoho for tasks like documents spreadsheets and presentations highlighting Zoho’s growing influence.
Who is Sridhar Vembu? Educational Qualification
Sridhar Vembu was born in 1968 into a simple family in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu. He was a bright student from the beginning. In 1989, he completed his B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from IIT Madras. After that, he pursued his Master’s and PhD from Princeton University in the USA.
Sridhar Vembu Left His Job in America to Forge His Own Path
After completing his studies, he worked as an engineer at Qualcomm in the US. However, he always dreamed of building his own company. In 1996, together with his brothers and partner Tony Thomas, he founded AdventNet, which later evolved into Zoho Corporation in 2009.
Why Did Sridhar Vembu Shift Zoho to a Village?
Sridhar Vembu thought differently. While most tech companies are based in big cities or overseas, he moved a significant part of his company to rural Tamil Nadu. He believes that world-class software can be created in villages, which is why many Zoho offices are now located in rural areas.
What are Zoho’s Key Products and What is the Arattai App?
Zoho has a wide range of tools for business and office use, which can be used just like Microsoft’s products. It offers tools for various needs. The recently launched Arattai app is considered an Indian alternative to WhatsApp. Within a few days, the app reached the #1 rank on the app store. The company claims that the app is completely privacy-focused and user data will never be monetized. Zoho tools include-
- Zoho Mail – For sending and receiving secure emails.
- Zoho People – To simplify HR and employee management.
- Zoho Recruit – For hiring and recruitment.
- Zoho Writer – For creating and editing online documents.
- Zoho Sheet – A spreadsheet tool, just like Excel.
- Zoho Notebook – An app for writing and saving notes.
- Zoho Books – A tool for accounting and creating invoices.
- Zoho Social – A social media management tool.
- Zoho Marketing Automation – A solution to automate marketing.
- Zoho Creator – A platform for building custom apps.
- Zoho Show – For creating presentations.
- Zoho Cliq – For team meetings, chatting, and messaging.
- Zoho Meeting – For online meetings and video conferencing.
- Zoho WorkDrive – For cloud storage and file sharing.
- Zoho Vault – A password manager.
- Zoho Expense – An app for tracking expenses.
What is Zoho School of Learning?
Vembu didn’t just build a company; he also took steps to develop talent. He started Zoho Schools of Learning, where rural youth are trained and then given jobs in the company. Today, a large part of Zoho’s workforce is made up of these young people.
Sridhar Vembu’s Net Worth and Achievements
Building Zoho without any external investment (bootstrapped model) is his biggest achievement. In 2021, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri award. As of 2024, his net worth was estimated at around $5.8 billion, making him one of the top 40 richest people in India.
Sridhar Vembu’s Vision
Sridhar Vembu consistently advocates for rural entrepreneurship, education reform, and the decentralisation of technology. He believes global companies can be built in India without relying on big cities or foreign investment. Today, Zoho stands as a symbol of the Indian spirit, proving that local talent and village energy can rival giants like Microsoft.