12 lakh employees of central agencies shift to Zoho Mail:Found secure during NIC audit; move aims to strengthen data security, tackle cyber threats

Following Union Home Minister Amit Shah, more than 1.2 million employees of central agencies have also transitioned to the Zoho Mail platform. This step has been taken to address rapidly growing and constantly evolving cyber threats, promote digital hygiene among employees, and enhance data security. Zoho is an Indian multinational technology company that provides cloud-based software and business tools services. It was founded in 1996 by Sridhar Vembu and Tony Thomas. Its headquarters are in Chennai. The company is providing 80 app services like Arattai Messenger and Zoho Mail in 160 countries. Efforts began after the AIIMS server hack
The central government’s shift to Zoho Platforms is not happening suddenly. Instead, it involved 3 years of intensive search and investigation. In fact, in 2022, hackers took control of 5 AIIMS servers and more than 1.3 TB of data. This caused significant damage to the government. It was here that the need for an indigenous communication system was felt. In 2023, the Union Ministry of Information issued tenders to provide secure mail services. Zoho Mail won the tender. After this, the National Informatics Centre audited Zoho Mail on 20 confidential security parameters. Security agencies like the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team conducted an independent security check of Zoho. After this, Zoho was trusted. Zoho Mail is developed by an Indian company Zoho Mail is an email client entirely from the Indian company Zoho Corporation. It was created by Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu. It is an ad-free platform that provides services to both individual and business users. The company claims that data remains secure with end-to-end encryption and no information is shared with advertisers. On this platform, users also get separate tabs for personal, business, and promotional emails, along with features like calendar, notes, and contacts. Zoho also launched a WhatsApp alternative Recently, Zoho launched its messaging app Arattai, after which discussions about Indian technology intensified. Zoho’s founder, Sridhar Vembu, has continuously promoted his indigenous products. Arattai is a Tamil word that means conversation. This app features audio-video calls as well as a quote feature. ZOHO has not only created Arattai but also many other software and apps. Now, ZOHO’s more than 50 cloud-based software are being used by over 10 million people in more than 180 countries. It is widely used in sectors like email, accounting, CRM, and HR management. ZOHO Corporation was started in 1996 In 1996, Vembu, along with his two brothers and friend Tony Thomas, started a software development company named ‘AdventNet’. This company provided network solutions. In 2009, this company was renamed ‘ZOHO Corporation’. In the same year, ZOHO started working on a cloud-based SaaS (Software as a Service) model. Additionally, it began providing Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and other software solutions. Gradually, ZOHO became India’s leading software product company and an emerging leader in the cloud. By 2016, more than 3000 employees were working in this company. Today, ZOHO is one of the world’s leading SaaS companies and has developed entirely bootstrapped, meaning without external investment. Settled in a Tamil Nadu village after leaving America Vembu was born into a middle-class Tamil Hindu family in Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu. Vembu started his career in Silicon Valley, California, USA. He worked as a wireless engineer at the software company Qualcomm. While at Qualcomm, he moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and then lived in San Jose and Pleasanton. In 2019, Vembu decided to leave America and settle in a small village in the Tenkasi district of Tamil Nadu, instead of Delhi, Mumbai, or Bengaluru. He started running ZOHO from there. He believes that Indian villages can also become centres of technology and employment. Today, many ZOHO offices are located in small towns and rural areas. Became India’s 39th Richest Person According to Forbes in 2024, he is India’s 39th richest person, with an estimated net worth of approximately $5.85 billion. In the 2024 Forbes list, Vembu and his siblings together ranked 51st among India’s 100 richest people.