By News Karnataka Editorial Team
Copyright newskarnataka
Bengaluru: Zoho’s homegrown messaging app, Arattai, has become the talk of the town after climbing to the top of app store charts in India. Quietly launched in 2021, the app is gaining popularity as users seek a “made-in-India, privacy-first” alternative to global messaging platforms.
Exponential growth in sign-ups
Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu revealed that Arattai’s sign-ups jumped from 3,000 a day to 3.5 lakh a day within just three days. In a post on X, Vembu explained, “We faced a 100x increase in Arattai traffic in three days. We are scrambling to add infrastructure for another possible 100x surge. That is how exponentials work.” Engineers are reportedly working round the clock to address glitches and prepare the app for a larger rollout in November.
Despite its sudden popularity, users have reported issues like OTP delays and syncing glitches, which Zoho is actively addressing. Vembu assured that all-hands-on-deck efforts are underway to stabilise the platform.
Zoho’s approach to innovation
The app’s success has reignited discussions about whether Zoho should list on the Indian stock market to allow ordinary investors to participate. Investor Venkatesh Alla had publicly suggested a listing, but Vembu argued that Arattai might not have existed if Zoho were a publicly traded company.
He explained, “Arattai would very likely not have been built by a public company that faces quarter-to-quarter financial pressure. This kind of long-range R&D simply cannot survive quarter-to-quarter market pressures.” Vembu described the project as “hopelessly foolish” in the eyes of many employees, but essential because India needed such engineering strength.
Frugal culture and long-term vision
Vembu highlighted Zoho’s frugal working culture, especially among founders and senior leaders, comparing it to ISRO scientists focused on the bigger picture rather than short-term gains. “We essentially ignore short-term profits, as long as we don’t lose money,” he said, noting that this mindset is difficult to explain to Wall Street or Dalal Street.
He also described Zoho as a research lab that funds itself, with projects spanning chip design, compilers, operating systems, robotics, AI, and security. Many of these initiatives are not expected to yield immediate returns but are crucial for long-term capability building.
Features and privacy-first approach
For users, Arattai provides messaging, calls, voice notes, media sharing, and even support for Android TV. Its strongest appeal lies in its privacy-first approach. Zoho has committed to not monetising user data and has rolled out end-to-end encryption for calls, with chat encryption still under development.
The app’s growing popularity reflects a rising demand among Indian users for secure, local alternatives to global messaging platforms, particularly amid growing concerns about data privacy.
Arattai’s rapid rise demonstrates the appeal of a homegrown, privacy-focused messaging platform backed by Zoho’s unique, long-term innovation culture. While the app faces temporary infrastructure challenges, the company’s focus on user privacy, R&D, and scalability positions it as a strong contender in India’s messaging ecosystem ahead of its November rollout.
