Sridhar Vembu’s inspiring journey, Zoho’s success, his net worth, and family story.
Sridhar Vembu’s life is one of the most inspiring stories in India. In a small village in Tamil Nadu, he founded the multinational software company Zoho Corporation. He mentored young people in the area and demonstrated that innovation can flourish outside of large cities without relying on investor funding.
He founded Arattai, an Indian messaging app that is regarded as a WhatsApp substitute. Today, he is one of India's richest entrepreneurs, but he still lives a simple life connected to his roots.
Sridhar Vembu is the co-founder and Chief Scientist of Zoho Corporation. He studied at Princeton University and completed his PhD in Electrical Engineering. He first worked in Silicon Valley, USA, with a high-paying job. But in the early 2000s, he decided to return to India.
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Instead of living in a metro city, he moved to a small village in Tamil Nadu. From there, he started building Zoho, which is now a global tech company. He also created Arattai, a secure chat app made in India. Because of his “rural-first” vision, he is seen as one of the most unique and respected entrepreneurs in the country.
According to Forbes (2024), Sridhar Vembu’s net worth is about US $5.85 billion. This makes him one of the top 40 richest Indians. Most of his wealth comes from his share in Zoho, which is still a private company. Some Indian reports estimate his wealth at nearly ₹50,000 crore. Since Zoho does not depend on investors, its value can vary.
Sridhar Vembu was born in 1968 in Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu. His father, Sambamurthy Vembu, worked as a stenographer at the Madras High Court. His mother was a homemaker. He has siblings, including his sister Radha Vembu, who owns a large share of Zoho and helps run the business.
He married Pramila Srinivasan in the late 1990s, and they have a son, Siddhu, who is on the autism spectrum. In recent years, their marriage has faced public issues and legal disputes over assets. Vembu has denied all the allegations. His father passed away in 2024 at the age of 81.
Despite challenges, Vembu often talks about family and values. He also shares pictures with his relatives on social media.
Vembu believed that new ideas should not come only from big cities or elite colleges. His return to rural India was a clear choice—he wanted to show that villages can also build world-class products.
Zoho started as AdventNet Inc. before changing its name. Unlike most startups, it never raised money from outside investors. The company grew only with its own earnings. This gave Zoho the freedom to focus on long-term goals instead of short-term profit.
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Rather than only employing graduates from prestigious universities, Vembu trained young people from rural areas. Many of them joined Zoho after becoming software developers. This strategy proves that talent is not limited to large cities.
Today, Zoho has 50+ software products. More than 100 million people in 180 countries use them for business needs like email, CRM, HR, and accounting. Despite its success, Zoho is still private and independent.
Arattai, a secure messaging app developed in India, was also released by Vembu. It provides Indians with a domestic 'swadeshi' alternative for international apps such as WhatsApp.
