Sridhar Vembu, the founder of Zoho Corporation, has taken to social media to address and dispel misinformation circulating about the company's operations. In a comprehensive clarification, Vembu shed light on Zoho's product development, global presence, and data hosting practices.

Made in India, Global in Reach

Vembu emphasized that all Zoho products are developed in India, with the company's global headquarters situated in Chennai. This statement underscores Zoho's commitment to Indian innovation and talent. Furthermore, he clarified that the company pays taxes on its global income in India, contributing to the country's economy.

Data Hosting and Infrastructure

Addressing concerns about data storage and hosting, Vembu provided detailed insights into Zoho's practices:

• Indian User Data: Hosted exclusively within India, across data centers in Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai. Plans are underway to add Odisha to this list, further expanding the company's domestic data hosting capabilities.
• Global Presence: Zoho operates over 18 data centers worldwide, ensuring that regional data is hosted within respective jurisdictions.
• Proprietary Infrastructure: Vembu highlighted that Zoho uses its own infrastructure built on open-source foundations, emphasizing that the company does not store data on third-party cloud services like AWS or Azure.

Arattai: A Recent Success Story

The clarification comes on the heels of a significant milestone for Zoho's messaging app, Arattai. The app experienced a dramatic surge in popularity, with daily registrations skyrocketing from 3,000 to 350,000 users over just three days. This sudden growth likely prompted increased scrutiny and speculation about Zoho's operations, necessitating Vembu's public statement.

Transparency and Trust

By providing these clarifications, Sridhar Vembu aims to foster transparency and maintain trust with Zoho's user base. The detailed explanation of the company's operations, particularly regarding data hosting and product development, serves to reassure users about the security and sovereignty of their data.

Zoho's approach of developing products in India, maintaining global data centers, and using proprietary infrastructure demonstrates its commitment to data security, local innovation, and global competitiveness in the technology sector.

Zoho Corporation's messaging app, Arattai, has climbed to the number one position in the social networking category on the App Store, garnering praise from Radhika Gupta, CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Fund. The app's rapid ascent highlights the growing demand for homegrown tech solutions in India's digital landscape.

Arattai's Meteoric Rise

Launched in January 2021 amid concerns over WhatsApp's privacy policy changes, Arattai has experienced a remarkable surge in popularity. The app's growth trajectory took a significant turn following an endorsement from Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Within just three days of this endorsement, Arattai witnessed:

• A 100-fold increase in traffic
• Daily sign-ups skyrocketing from 3,000 to 350,000 users

Features and Functionality

Arattai, developed by Zoho Corporation co-founded by Sridhar Vembu, offers functionality similar to WhatsApp, including:

• Messaging services
• Voice and video calls
• File sharing capabilities
• Multi-device support

It's worth noting that while voice calls on Arattai are end-to-end encrypted, text messages currently lack this feature.

Endorsement from Financial Sector

Radhika Gupta, CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Fund, has publicly endorsed Arattai, expressing her confidence in Indian brands built for global markets. Gupta drew parallels between the potential of Indian tech brands and the global success of Japanese brands, based on her observations during a visit to Tokyo.

The 'Made in India' Appeal

Arattai's success story aligns with the growing trend of Indian consumers embracing homegrown tech solutions. This shift comes at a time when data privacy concerns and the push for self-reliance in technology are gaining momentum in India.

As Arattai continues to gain traction, it represents a significant milestone for Zoho Corporation and the broader Indian tech ecosystem. The app's rapid rise to the top of the App Store charts signals a potential shift in the messaging app landscape, traditionally dominated by global players.

While Arattai's long-term success remains to be seen, its current popularity underscores the market's readiness for alternatives that prioritize user privacy and align with national technological aspirations.