Sameer Mohan

Most people see Zoho’s new messaging app Arattai in wrong lens “Oh, Zoho is trying to be a WhatsApp rival.” That’s not the real story. Zoho is not chasing WhatsApp. It’s climbing a bigger mountain. The climb began in 1996 Back then nobody believed software from India could go global. But Zoho chose a different path: ↪️ No VC money ↪️ No hype ↪️ R&D in small towns ↪️ Grow one customer at a time Growing slowly and silently. Where does it stand today? 55+ products 100M+ users ₹8,500+ crore in revenue ($1B+) Completely bootstrapped and still profitable. All built patiently over decades. Why does Arattai matter? It’s easy to say “India’s WhatsApp.” But Zoho is not trying to copy. It’s trying to show the world: ↪️ Messaging can be built in India ↪️ Privacy and trust can be the foundation ↪️ Growth can happen without shortcuts Arattai is not a fight, it's a signal. The bigger lesson Zoho is not just another SaaS company. It’s proof that India can build platforms quietly From small towns without dependency And without compromise.

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It’s fascinating to see India’s tech ecosystem flex🇮🇳 Zoho’s homegrown messaging app Arattai has just rocketed to No. 1 on iOS social charts after seeing daily signups jump 100x (from ~3,000 to ~3,50,000 in just three days). What’s more interesting is why this moment matters especially for India. 📌 Why this matters for India & Indian users • It shows that “made-in-India tech” can achieve scale quickly when trust, privacy, and national identity are in its narrative. • It helps reduce reliance on foreign messaging platforms — potentially giving more control over data, security, and regulation. • It boosts the local tech ecosystem — inspiring more Indian startups to build for India-first challenges while thinking globally. • Scaling infrastructure fast is now a real test Arattai has admitted to adding capacity urgently to handle further growth. There will be growing pains — lag, syncing issues, feature gaps — but this rise is a signal: the narrative of India being just a “consumer market” is changing. What does Arattai’s rise tell you about India’s opportunities in tech and messaging? #India #IndianStartup #IndianBusiness #StartupEcosystem #TechNews #TrendingNews #MadeInIndia #DigitalIndia #MessagingApps #DataPrivacy #Zoho #AppLaunch #MobileTech #MessagingPlatform #IndianTech #BusinessGrowth #TechEcosystem #InnovationInIndia #TechStartups #LocalTech #HomegrownApps #ScalingChallenges #IndiaTech #DigitalGrowth #indiancompany #indiantech

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According to Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu, the app has been built to run smoothly on devices with minimal processing power and in regions with unreliable or low-speed networks. With a lightweight design and low-bandwidth optimization, Arattai aims to provide a reliable messaging experience in underserved markets where most platforms are resource-heavy.

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Zoho just dropped its homegrown messaging app Arattai — a Made-in-India alternative aiming to challenge WhatsApp’s dominance. In just 3 days, Arattai’s daily sign-ups jumped from 3,000 to over 3.5 lakh 😲 — proof that Indians are ready to try secure, local platforms. The name Arattai (Tamil for “casual talk”) perfectly reflects its vision of simple, private & reliable conversations. With this kind of momentum, Arattai might just be the start of India’s very own messaging revolution. 🇮🇳✨

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