Sridhar Vembu, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Zoho Corporation, on social media platform X said that achievements earned abroad are insufficient when it comes to earning true respect. He is now urging Indians to embrace self-reliance, and develop "deep capabilities".
Taking it to X on Saturday, December 28, he encouraged individuals to focus on developing technologies that address India’s unique needs.
Vembu emphasised the significance of India’s talent pool in driving this transformation, stating, "To earn true respect in the world, Indians must develop deep capabilities within India. Achievements abroad won’t suffice," in a post on X.
His message underscores the importance of fostering indigenous innovation to strengthen India's global standing, particularly in key sectors like technology and manufacturing.
In another tweet, posted today, Monday, December 30, he said that talent migration is a mark of rapid development. He wrote, "When a country is extremely underdeveloped, talent migration is very low. When a country is very wealthy, talent migration is also very low. Talent migration peaks during the period of rapid development."
He explains that the rising talent migration from India is not a cause for alarm. It follows a historical pattern seen in other rapidly developing nations, where talent migration tends to peak during periods of rapid economic growth, as in countries like Korea, Taiwan, and China.
He further writes that migration is driven by rising aspirations, with people seeking opportunities abroad when they feel their country is developing rapidly but has yet to fully meet their expectations. India, particularly in urban tech hubs, is experiencing this restlessness. Over time, as a country realises its full economic potential, migration decreases.
"Why does this happen? Rapid economic development is preceded by and happens due to rising aspiration levels, and talent migration also happens due to rising aspiration levels. ur aspirations necessarily race ahead of reality and it is precisely during the period of rapid growth that we have the most restless people, and it is the restless spirits who tend to migrate. We can observe that restlessness in India, particularly in urban tech centres," he wrote.
He also predicted that despite India's economic growth and a per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of over 10,000 dollars, many Indians may still feel the country is behind due to lingering aspirations and comparisons with more developed nations.
Although he stated that this rising talent migration may not be a cause of hopelessness, but is a positive step towards development.