Perplexity AI chief executive Aravind Srinivas has applauded Zoho Corporation after its homegrown messaging app Arattai registered a dramatic rise in adoption, jumping from 3,000 to 3,50,000 daily sign-ups within just a few days. Srinivas called the milestone a “very successful launch” and added, “Congrats to Zoho!” as the app emerged as one of India’s fastest-growing challengers to WhatsApp.
A rapid growth curve
Arattai’s momentum has outpaced initial expectations, with new user registrations multiplying by more than 100 times in three days. Zoho’s co-founder and Chief Scientist, Sridhar Vembu, confirmed that teams are scaling systems urgently to meet demand. The spike arrived months ahead of the company’s original plan to expand features and marketing efforts later this year.
Government endorsement
Beyond industry applause, the app has also attracted political backing. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan urged citizens to try Arattai, calling it free, secure, and easy to use. His support ties the app’s success to India’s broader push for indigenous digital platforms under the government’s Digital India initiative, giving the launch national visibility.
What Arattai offers
The app, whose name means “casual chat” in Tamil, delivers core messaging features such as text, media sharing, voice and video calls, and stories. It also allows businesses to run channels for wider engagement. With end-to-end encryption on calls, privacy remains central to its design, a feature Zoho hopes will resonate with both personal users and enterprises.
Industry spotlight
Srinivas’s remarks have amplified the app’s visibility within the technology sector. By congratulating Zoho publicly, the Perplexity AI CEO placed Arattai’s rise within the wider conversation on how Indian firms are stepping up with homegrown alternatives to international platforms.
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