Indian software firm Zoho builds power tools to create more rural jobs: CEO

NEW DELHI: Sridhar Vembu, Founder and CEO of leading Cloud software provider Zoho, said on Wednesday that they have created first-of-its-kind power tools that are ready for commercial production.

Called 'Karuvi' (the Tamil word for instrument or tool), the hand-held tools will help create more rural jobs in the country.

"A few years ago, during the pandemic, a Zoho customer and fan, Abdul Gafoor, who owns 'Mr Light Global', a major own-brand distributor of electrical and electronics products in the Middle-East (and now in India), came to see me in Tenkasi with a box full of hand held tools from his company," Vembu posted on X social media platform.

Gafoor told the Zoho founder to make these products and then, he would distribute them.

"I said, we know nothing about it. He said this could create rural jobs. That is how he hooked me," said Vembu.

The software company took up the challenge and set up a small engineering team almost two years ago.

A lot of designs and redesigns later, Zoho now has built a suite of tools ready for commercial production.

"We are trying some innovative ideas in the factory being built in Tenkasi. A new adventure begins. Thank you Mr Gafoor for pushing me on this! Thank you Cibi Anand for suggesting the name," Vembu added.

An X follower commented that he was looking to populate the "rural maker-space with power tools from Stanley".

"But now, it's going to be 'Karuvi' all the way, looking forward to getting every product you have in production," he posted.