Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on September 24 urged citizens to support Indian-made digital platforms by switching to Arattai, a messaging app developed by Zoho Corporation. Positioned as a homegrown alternative to Meta’s WhatsApp, the app combines ease of use with enhanced privacy features.
In a post shared on social media platform X, Pradhan described Arattai as a “free, easy-to-use, secure, and safe” app proudly made in India. The minister linked his appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to adopt Swadeshi, urging users to connect with friends and family through locally developed digital platforms.
“Guided by Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji’s call to adopt Swadeshi, I appeal to everyone to switch to India-made apps for staying connected with friends and family,” Pradhan tweeted.
The app, whose name ‘Arattai’ means casual chat in Tamil, is designed for simple, everyday communication. Key features include:
- Text messaging, media and document sharing
- Voice and video calls
- Story creation and channel subscriptions
- Business-oriented content-sharing tools for outreach
Arattai places a strong emphasis on privacy, offering end-to-end encrypted calls to ensure secure communication. According to Zoho, the app aligns with the company’s mission of delivering safe and reliable Indian alternatives to global tech products.
Founded in 1996 by Sridhar Vembu and Tony Thomas, Zoho Corporation is headquartered in Chennai and provides over 55 software tools spanning email, accounting, HR, project management, and customer relationship management.
Serving more than 130 million users across 150 countries, Zoho counts major global corporations like Amazon, Netflix, Deloitte, Puma, Toyota, Sony, and L’Oréal among its clientele. The company operates under the slogan: “Made in India. Made for the world.”
Earlier on September 23, Union IT and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also endorsed Zoho products during a Union Cabinet briefing, emphasising the use of Zoho Show instead of Microsoft PowerPoint for official presentations. Vaishnaw noted that he had personally started using Zoho software in recent days, reinforcing the government’s Swadeshi push in the digital sector.
Zoho’s office suite, including tools like Zoho Writer, Zoho Sheets, and Zoho Show, directly competes with Microsoft Office 365 and Google Workspace, signalling a growing push for self-reliance in Indian digital infrastructure.
The endorsement of Arattai by top Union ministers underscores the government’s focus on promoting local technology solutions. By advocating for the use of homegrown apps, authorities aim to enhance data privacy, security, and national self-reliance in the increasingly digital economy.
With features comparable to global competitors and a strong privacy framework, Arattai is emerging as a viable Indian alternative for both personal and professional communication.
