Kashmir, October 8, 2025 – In a heartfelt tribute that underscores India’s rising prowess in homegrown technology, Zoho Corporation co-founder Sridhar Vembu has dedicated a landmark endorsement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the company’s dedicated engineers. Vembu, a vocal advocate for rural innovation and self-reliant tech ecosystems, praised the team for their unwavering commitment over two decades, choosing to build world-class software entirely from Indian soil.The moment gained prominence when Shah announced his switch to Zoho Mail for official communications, aligning with the government’s “Digital Swadeshi” and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. In a post on X , Amit Shah shared his new email address—amitshah.bjp@mail.zoho.in—signalling a broader push toward indigenous digital tools.Responding swiftly, Vembu wrote: “Thank you Sir, for your faith in us I dedicate this moment to our hard working engineers who have toiled hard in Zoho for over 20 years. They all stayed in India and worked all these years because they believed. Their faith is vindicated. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat “
A Validation of Faith in Indian Innovation
Vembu’s words resonate deeply in the context of Zoho’s unconventional journey. Founded in 1996 as AdventNet in a modest suburban apartment in Chennai, the company has grown into a global SaaS powerhouse serving over 100 million users across 150+ countries—without relying on venture capital or external funding. This bootstrapped model, often hailed as the “biggest unicorn out of India,” emphasizes sustainable growth, rural talent development, and a rejection of the “move fast and break things” Silicon Valley mantra.The engineers Vembu honors embody this ethos. Many hail from tier-2 and tier-3 cities, contributing to Zoho’s 45+ integrated applications in categories like CRM, collaboration, HR, and analytics. Their decision to stay in India, forgoing lucrative opportunities abroad, mirrors a broader narrative of talent retention amid global visa debates and economic shifts. As Vembu noted in prior reflections, “We develop products in India, but the last mile is served by our local teams and 2,000+ partners worldwide”—a philosophy of “transnational localism.”This isn’t the first high-profile nod for Zoho. In September 2025, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also transitioned to the Zoho WorkDrive suite, calling it a “proud moment” for Swadeshi tech. Vembu responded then with similar gratitude: “This is a huge morale boost for our engineers who have worked hard for over two decades… We will make you proud and make our nation proud. Jai Hind.” Such endorsements have boosted Zoho’s visibility, with recent campaigns highlighting its free tools for SMBs and no-layoff culture that fosters long-term loyalty.
Amit Shah’s adoption extends beyond email; it signals governmental prioritisation of secure, privacy-focused alternatives to global giants like Google Workspace and Microsoft 365. Zoho’s Arattai messaging app, a WhatsApp rival launched in 2021 amid privacy concerns, has also seen promotional support from authorities. With features like end-to-end encryption and distributed frameworks refined over 20 years, Zoho positions itself as a scalable solution for enterprises and governments alike.Vembu, who returned from the US to root Zoho in India, has long likened dedicated engineers to “Rishis”—ancient sages whose quiet toil yields profound impact. In a recent X post about the Arattai team, he urged: “Allow neither praise nor criticism nor fame to distract you, resolutely stay the course.” This resilience has powered innovations like Zoho’s solar-powered data centers and AI assistant Zia, minimizing carbon footprints while maximizing performance.As India aims to become a $1 trillion digital economy by 2028, stories like Zoho’s vindicate the faith of those who bet on domestic ecosystems. “Built for India, from India, and now ready for the world,” as one Zoho employee echoed on X. With over 18,000 likes and widespread reposts, Vembu’s dedication has sparked conversations on talent retention, with users saluting the “unsung heroes” driving national progress.Zoho continues to expand, with recent launches like Zoho Cliq 5.0 for AI-enhanced collaboration and Ulaa browser winning the Indian Web Browser Development Challenge. As Vembu champions, true staying power lies in depth of R&D—not fleeting hype.
