Zoho co-founder and Chief Scientist Sridhar Vembu has reignited the discussion on remote working/work from home, following PM Narendra Modi’s recent appeal to citizens on maintaining national austerity. Vembu tweeted that as a company, he is ready to revisit work from home, although the company has fully adopted work from office in recent months.
“I hope all of us heed the Prime Minister’s appeal. As a company, we adopted Work From Office fully in recent months, but we will revisit Work From Home now. We have adopted natural farming in our farm and we are also actively looking for ways to cut diesel use,” Vembu wrote on X.
Vembu’s comments were further critically questioned by netizens. One asked about how the Zoho co-founder plans to support the small-scale vendors
“How do you plan to support the small-scale vendors-the canteen walas and the bajji-tea stalls who depend entirely on your office footfall? With commercial LPG shortages and price hikes already forcing items like poori and dose off menus, these micro-businesses are struggling to survive. Are you suggesting full remote work like during the pandemic, or WFH within city limits so the local economy doesn’t collapse while you save on diesel?,” a user that goes by the name Vijay asked on X.
Responding to the query, Vembu wrote, the company plans to help people in need with free food. This will be similar to what the company did during remote working times.
“We always support our canteen staff and drivers during work from home times. In the past, we have used our kitchens to distribute a lot of free food to the needy around our offices. We will do likewise now,” he posted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed citizens to practice austerity amidst the ongoing global instability. Urging for financial discipline, the PM said that the people of the nation dependence on imported goods, gold purchases, and fuel consumption. Emphasizing that, foreign goods places pressure on India’s forex reserves, Modi has also called for exercising restrains when it comes to purchasing gold.
“Gold is not necessary at this time,” the PM addressing a rally said recently. Among other austerity measures, the PM has called for moderation in edible oil consumption, reduction in chemical fertiliser usage, restrict overseas travel and destination weddings.
Vembu had posted an open letter on X last month, urging Indians living abroad to come back home and help build India’s technological prowess. He said that the respect Indians command globally along with the country’s prosperity and security, will depend on India’s technological prowess.
Vembu tweeted, “brothers and sisters from Bharat,” recalling his own migration 37 years ago to America with no money but “with a good education and cultural heritage from Bharat.”
“You achieved outstanding success. America was good to us. For that we must remain grateful – gratitude is our Bharatiya way,” he added.
