Sridhar Vembu, Founder and Chief Scientist, Zoho Corp
| Photo Credit:
BIJOY GHOSH
India’s sovereignty depends upon its ability to build and scale its own technologies, Founder and Chief Scientist of Zoho Corporation Sridhar Vembu said on Wednesday.
Vembu was speaking during Aaruush, the techno-management fest of SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST), Kattankulathur. The student-led innovation event brought together over 50,000 students, academia and industry leaders to exchange ideas and collaborate on technological solutions.
Self-reliance
In his keynote, Vembu drew attention to the critical importance of technological self-reliance in the modern world. “Our national sovereignty today comes down to technology and self-reliance. We must build our own technologies and cannot depend on GPS, operating systems, or platforms like ChatGPT, which can be taken away in an instant,” he said.
“Wars today are not fought only on the battlefield but in the realm of technology with engineers being the new soldiers. From semiconductors and permanent magnets to advanced compilers and medical devices, India must invest in building these technologies indigenously,” he added.
Vembu also mentioned that India has the human talent along with the creativity, and resolve needed to make the best in the world.
“Aaruush is conducted to celebrate the research work done by SRMIST. Our management cannot do everything by itself, which is why we rely on the right set of young minds to set a clear vision and carry it forward,” said TR Paarivendhar, Founder Chancellor of SRM Group, in a statement.
The event saw hackathons and other entrepreneurship bootcamps encouraging students to transform ideas into ventures.
Published on September 10, 2025
