You know that feeling when you see someone using a product
you helped create? That mix of pride and validation that makes all the late
nights worth while? Now imagine that user is the man responsible for India's
digital future, and the product is something your team has poured 20 years of
their lives into building.
That's exactly the human story that unfolded recently when IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw made a simple yet powerful announcement: he was switching to Zoho's office suite. This wasn't just another tech migration; it felt like a quiet revolution taking place right on a minister's desk.
The news didn't come through a formal press conference with
flashing cameras. It came through a social media post that felt surprisingly
personal and authentic. Minister Vaishnaw, who handles crucial portfolios like
Railways and IT, didn't just announce he was trying new software. He spoke of
adopting "our own Swadeshi platform" with the warmth of someone
recommending a local artisan's work. He was making a statement, yes, but more
importantly, he was extending an invitation to join him in believing in homegrown
products.
But the real story unfolded in the reply from Zoho's
founder, Sridhar Vembu. His response wasn't corporate-speak about market
validation or business metrics. It read like a grateful leader thinking
immediately of his team: "Thank you Sir, this is a huge morale boost for
our engineers who have worked hard for over two decades."
That's when the human impact hit home. This wasn't about market share or revenue. This was about a team of engineers somewhere in India—perhaps in Zoho's rural Tamil Nadu campuses—who've likely faced years of "Why not just use Microsoft or Google?" finally receiving the highest form of validation. It was a moment of national pride, captured in a few sincere words exchanged online.
To really understand why this moment matters, you need to
know Zoho's backstory. They're the quiet, thoughtful neighbor in a tech world
full of loud partygoers—the company that always marched to the beat of its own
drum.
While other startups were chasing venture capital and
headlines in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Zoho was focused on something
radical: building sustainable software that real businesses needed. Founded by
Sridhar Vembu, who comes across more like a philosopher than a typical CEO, the
company took a path less traveled. They stayed privately owned, avoiding the
rollercoaster of investor demands that forces many companies to prioritize
growth over genuine value creation.
This independence allowed them to do something
beautiful—focus on building great products, one at a time, for the long haul.
While Silicon Valley measured success in quarterly growth numbers, Zoho
measured it in customer satisfaction and product quality. They expanded
gradually, adding new applications only when they could do them well, creating
an entire ecosystem that could run a business from end to end.
When we talk about "Made in India," we often think
of physical products—cars, phones, or textiles. But Minister Vaishnaw's
decision highlights something more profound: the emotional journey of creating
intellectual property that stands tall on the global stage.
I think about the young engineer who joined Zoho fresh out
of college fifteen years ago, when Indian software companies were still seen as
service providers rather than product innovators. I imagine the moments of
doubt they might have faced when comparing their work against global giants.
And then I picture them hearing this news—that a Union Minister has chosen
their creation for his most important work. That's not just professional
validation; that's the kind of moment that fuels passion for another decade.
This decision changes what "Made in India" means
in our daily lives. It's evolving from being just a label we look for when
shopping to becoming something we actively choose in our digital workflows.
It's about:
Trusting Our Own Creations: When a senior minister uses
an Indian app for sensitive government work, it tells every small business
owner, every student, every professional that our software isn't just
"good for an Indian product"—it's genuinely good, period. It breaks
the psychological barrier that often makes us default to international options.
The Pride of Building: This is about the engineers who
stayed late to fix one more bug, the designers who obsessed over user
experience details, and the support staff who helped customers navigate
challenges. That ministerial announcement was ultimately for them. It said,
"Your work matters to the nation's progress."
Real Digital Independence: In a world where data is power, using our own software is like growing our own food. It's about self-reliance in the most practical terms—ensuring that our critical communications and data remain in ecosystems we control and understand.
For Government Departments: This move encourages other
departments and agencies to seriously evaluate Indian solutions. It creates
permission for IT managers to propose local alternatives without being seen as
taking risks. The question shifts from "Why would we use an Indian
product?" to "Why wouldn't we at least evaluate it?"
For Indian Businesses: When small and medium businesses
see the government leading by example, it gives them confidence to make similar
choices. The founder of a growing startup might now feel more comfortable
building their operations on Indian platforms, knowing these tools are trusted
at the highest levels.
For Young Talent: The message to students and young professionals is powerful: you can build world-class products right here in India. You don't need to relocate to Silicon Valley to work on meaningful technology. This could help reverse brain drain and inspire a new generation of builders.
Of course, changing habits is hard. We're all comfortable
with what we know. The real test will be whether this inspiration translates
into sustained action across the ecosystem.
The challenge isn't just about technical capability—Zoho and
other Indian SaaS companies have proven they can deliver quality. The challenge
is psychological. It's about overcoming what I call "default
internationalism"—the automatic tendency to reach for globally familiar
brands even when excellent local alternatives exist.
I imagine government offices where young interns feel
empowered to suggest trying a Zoho solution instead of automatically renewing
contracts with foreign software giants. I picture IT procurement committees
including "Swadeshi software evaluation" as a standard step in their
process. Most importantly, I envision small business owners feeling genuinely
confident choosing Indian tools not just out of patriotism, but because they're
objectively great.
This mindset shift requires more than one minister's decision—it needs a movement. It needs success stories to be shared, case studies to be documented, and a community of users who can support each other through the transition.
What stays with me most about this story is its deeply human
elements. Minister Vaishnaw didn't have to make this switch. He could have
continued using whatever everyone else uses, and nobody would have questioned
it. But he chose to lead by example, to put his own workflow where his policy
vision is.
And Sridhar Vembu's response wasn't about sales targets or
business metrics; it was about the people behind the product. In that moment,
he became less of a CEO and more of a proud team leader, acknowledging his
crew's decades of hard work.
This feels like one of those moments we'll look back on as a
turning point—when India's digital confidence grew up. It's not about rejecting
global products; it's about believing we can create our own world-class
solutions. It's about recognizing that innovation doesn't have a nationality,
but nurturing homegrown innovation does have profound national benefits.
The next time you sit down to work, think about the tools
you use. Behind every great product are people who cared enough to build
something meaningful. And sometimes, the most powerful change begins with a
simple choice—what we decide to put on our desks, and the belief we place in
our own people's capabilities.
This story is still being written. The real impact will be measured not in tweets or headlines, but in the countless small decisions made by businesses, professionals, and institutions across India who now look at homegrown software with new eyes and renewed confidence. The minister's desk has become a symbol, but the real work continues on millions of other desks across the nation, where India's digital destiny is being coded into reality, one line at a time.
At ExploreRealNews, we bring you stories that go beyond headlines — capturing the human, cultural, and national impact of events that shape India’s future.
This article explores how IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s switch to Zoho’s office suite is more than a tech decision; it is a symbol of India’s digital confidence, Swadeshi innovation, and self-reliance in technology. From Zoho’s rural Tamil Nadu roots to becoming a global SaaS leader, the story reflects how homegrown products are reshaping India’s digital identity.
Through this lens, ExploreRealNews connects readers with the human side of innovation, national pride, and the evolving meaning of Made in India. Subscribe to our blog or follow us on facebook, Instagram, Linkedln and twitter