Tech Titans’ Exchange: Anand Mahindra’s ‘Pride’ful Download of Arattai Spurs Zoho Founder Sridhar Vembu

A heartwarming exchange between two of India’s most prominent business leaders, Anand Mahindra and Sridhar Vembu, has put a spotlight on the growing momentum of the homegrown messaging app, Arattai. The conversation, which unfolded on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), saw the Mahindra Group Chairman publicly endorse the Zoho-backed application, drawing a deeply motivating response from its founder.

Mahindra’s Public Nod to a ‘Swadeshi’ App

The catalyst for the public interaction was a simple, yet powerful, post by Anand Mahindra. On the day of his download, the industrialist shared his decision to join the platform, specifically mentioning the sentiment that drove the move.

“Downloaded Arattai today… With pride,” Mahindra wrote on X.

This public endorsement from a figure of Mahindra’s stature carries significant weight, instantly elevating the visibility of Arattai. The app, whose name means “chat” in Tamil, has been positioned as a secure, privacy-focused, and Made-in-India alternative to global messaging giants like WhatsApp. Mahindra’s gesture was quickly interpreted by many as a strong vote of confidence in India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) tech ecosystem.

Vembu’s Response: A Boost to Team Morale

The praise from the Mahindra chief did not go unnoticed by the Zoho team. Sridhar Vembu, the founder of Zoho Corporation and the man behind the app, responded with gratitude and a renewed sense of purpose. Vembu revealed a candid moment that occurred in one of Zoho’s operational centers, highlighting the immediate and positive impact of Mahindra’s tweet on the engineers on the ground.

“I was in a meeting in our Tenkasi office with our Arattai engineers, working out refinements to the app, and a team member showed this tweet,” Vembu wrote in his reply.

He concluded his post by expressing how much the support meant, stating, “Thank you, Anand Mahindra, this gives us even more determination.”

Vembu’s response not only conveyed thanks but also reinforced the company’s commitment to continuously improving the application. It painted a picture of a focused, diligent engineering team, whose hard work was instantly validated by a significant voice in the Indian business community.

An Inspiring Exchange of Entrepreneurial Support

The conversation evolved further when Anand Mahindra quoted Vembu’s response, signaling his continued encouragement. “We’re cheering for you, Sridhar Vembu,” he wrote, turning the initial nod into an open declaration of support for the app’s success.

This exchange quickly went viral, eliciting positive reactions from social media users who praised the show of mutual respect and camaraderie between the two prominent entrepreneurs. Many saw it as an inspiring example of leading figures backing indigenous innovation, a crucial element for nurturing India’s tech future.

Arattai has recently seen a significant surge in sign-ups, catapulting it to the top of app store charts in India, with reports indicating a massive leap in daily traffic. The public endorsement from Anand Mahindra, followed by Sridhar Vembu’s humble and determined reply, is set to provide an additional and timely morale boost to the Zoho team as they navigate the challenges of scaling and refining their platform to compete with established global players. The focus now remains on the Arattai team to build upon this momentum and deliver a product that lives up to the high hopes of its growing user base and high-profile cheerleaders.