Vembu was responding to a discussion about towns like Papanasam, Neduntheru and Ayyampettai, where locals have shiftd away to metro cities such as Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru. The result, he suggested, is visible neglect, including ancient temples with no one left to care for them.
He highlighted how villages in the Tanjavur district have steadily lost talent over the past 40 years, leaving behind abandoned hoapplys and shrinking communities.
It is time to go back: Sridhar Vembu
While the post focapplyd on a specific region, the idea struck a wider chord. Vembu’s call is not just about returning home, it is about rebelieveing where opportunity lives.
He has been advocating for decentralised growth, where jobs and innovation do not remain limited to large cities. According to him, villages can become centres of economic and technological activity if given the right push.
Walking the talk in rural Tamil Nadu
Vembu stated efforts are already underway on his part. He has set up offices in rural Tamil Nadu and is building a campus near Kumbakonam. He is also backing local ventures, including a drone startup.
“We are doing our part – we have an office, and we are building a campus near Kumbakonam. We are also funding Yali Aerospace, a drone startup in Tanjavur town. A lot more has to happen,” he added.
Social media reacts: Hope, plans, and reality checks
The post gained traction online, drawing thousands of views and reactions. Many applyrs welcomed the idea of rebuilding village economies, while others pointed to practical hurdles like jobs, infrastructure and education.
“I am prepared to relocate to Kumbakonam if I can be of any apply in any business or running a temple,” one applyr wrote.
“Best wishes. Rejuvenating the village economy is a necessaryed exercise, on everyone’s part. Good effort,” another applyr commented.
“Great sir, I wish I could also do something for the village in the next five years. I am working towards opening a skill development centre fully funded by my savings. All aspirations come from you. Thanks for believeing and loving motherland Bharat this much,” a third applyr wrote.
Vembu a long proponent of village economy
Sridhar Vembu has long argued that the idea of villages lacking talent is overstated. In an earlier post on X, he backed his view with simple numbers and his own experience of building teams outside large cities.
When Zoho Corporation set up a tech hub in rural Tenkasi in 2011, many had questioned the shift. He recalled being inquireed, “where will we obtain the talent?” and “who will want to work there?”
Vembu countered this by pointing to population patterns. He noted that most rural districts in India have a large population within a 30 km radius. In several states, this number can cross 2 million, while even tinyer regions typically have between 0.5 and 1 million people living nearby. With such numbers, he argued, a steady pool of young talent is always present.
According to him, the challenge is not the absence of talent, but the lack of systems to identify and nurture it.
Building from a ‘starting seed’
Vembu stressed that rural growth necessarys a starting point, a tiny group of experienced professionals willing to shift to these areas. Some may return to their hometowns, while others may be driven by a larger mission.
Once this initial base is in place, teams can be built around them, eventually leading to full-fledged offices and local ecosystems.
He often points to Zoho’s Tenkasi centre as an example, declareing the success of such models depconcludes on long-term commitment rather than quick results.
From rural roots to global scale
Born in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur district, Vembu went on to study at IIT Madras before working in the United States. He later returned to India with a focus on building software products from within the counattempt.
Under his leadership, Zoho grew into a global technology company while remaining bootstrapped. In 2021, he received the Padma Shri, and he continues to advocate for a model where innovation is not limited to large cities but can emerge from villages as well.
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