Today is Tuesday, April 22, 2025. This is the story of Sridhar Vembu, a man from a small village in Tamil Nadu, India. He is now a billionaire and the founder of Zoho Corporation. His life shows us that big dreams can start in small places.
Early Life
Sridhar Vembu was born in 1968. His village is in Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu. His family was middle-class. They did not have much money, but they had strong values. Sridhar was a good student. He liked to learn new things. He finished school in his village.
He got a high rank in the IIT entrance exam. He joined IIT Madras and studied Electrical Engineering. He finished his degree in 1989. After that, he went to the United States. He studied at Princeton University. There, he got his Master’s and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering.
First Job
After his studies, Sridhar started working at Qualcomm in California. He was a wireless engineer. He learned a lot in this job. But he wanted to do something bigger. He wanted to start his own company.
Starting a Company
In 1996, Sridhar and his brothers started a company called AdventNet. They sold software to telecom companies. Their first product was Web NMS. It was a success. Later, they changed the company name to Zoho Corporation in 2009. Zoho started making software for businesses. They focused on Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and other business tools.
Zoho’s Growth
Zoho grew fast. It became very popular. Many companies started using Zoho’s software. Sridhar did not take money from outside investors. He wanted to keep control of his company. Zoho is now a big company. It is worth billions of dollars. Sridhar owns most of the company.
Moving to Rural India
In 2019, Sridhar moved back to India. He did not go to a big city. He went to Tenkasi, a small town in Tamil Nadu. He opened a Zoho office there. He wanted to show that good work can happen anywhere, not just in big cities. Many Zoho offices are now in small towns and villages.
Zoho Schools
Sridhar started Zoho Schools in 2004. This school teaches software skills to young people from villages. They do not need a college degree to join. Many Zoho employees come from Zoho Schools. This helps people from small towns get good jobs.
Simple Life
Even though Sridhar is very rich, he lives simply. He often rides a bicycle to work. He likes to read, travel, and play sports. He believes in helping others. He wants to give back to society.
Awards and Recognition
Sridhar has won many awards. In 2021, he got the Padma Shri, one of India’s top honors. He was also named “Entrepreneur of the Year” by Ernst & Young in 2019. His net worth is more than $5 billion. He is one of the richest people in India.
Social Work
Sridhar believes in education for all. He started a free rural school for primary education. He invests in technology to solve social problems. For example, he invested in a company that makes robots to clean sewers. He wants to use technology to make life better for everyone.
Beliefs and Ideas
Sridhar thinks that you do not need to be in a big city to do big things. He believes in hard work and honesty. He wants more people to learn useful skills. He says that you should not be afraid to take risks. He also says that you should help others when you can.
Family
Sridhar’s family is important to him. His sister, Radha Vembu, also works in Zoho. His wife is Pramila Srinivasan. His family supported him in his journey.
Conclusion
Sridhar Vembu’s story is simple but powerful. He started in a small village. He worked hard and learned a lot. He built a big company without outside help. He helps others through education and jobs. He lives a simple life and gives back to society. Sridhar Vembu shows us that anyone can succeed, no matter where they start.