Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has thrown his support behind Arattai, a new Indian messaging app developed by Zoho Corporation, now available for download on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. In a recent post on X, Pradhan encouraged citizens to embrace homegrown applications like Arattai, echoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative to promote Swadeshi products. He described the app as a user-friendly, secure, and free platform designed for seamless communication.
Arattai App: Features
The name “Arattai,” derived from Tamil, translates to ‘casual conversation’ or ‘chat,’ aptly reflecting the app’s purpose of fostering easy communication. Key features of Arattai include:
- Document and image sharing
- Voice and text messaging
- Audio and video calls
- Group chats accommodating up to 1,000 participants
- Dedicated channels for specific discussions
Positioned as a homegrown alternative to popular global messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal, Arattai aims to provide a secure and comprehensive communication experience. Users can also import chats from other messaging services and enjoy compatibility across multiple devices, including smartphones, tablets, and desktops.
Arattai App: Security Gap and Eligibility
While the Arattai app offers end-to-end encryption for calls, it is important to note that messages do not benefit from the same level of security. This encryption ensures that only the sender and receiver can access the content, effectively preventing third-party interception.
The app has seen remarkable growth since its launch, with a staggering 100-fold increase in traffic reported within just three days. Sridhar Vembu, co-founder of Zoho Corporation, shared on X that new sign-ups surged from 3,000 per day to an impressive 350,000. In response to this explosive growth, the team is rapidly expanding infrastructure to accommodate potential further surges.
Arattai App: Who Developed It?
Developed by Zoho Corporation, which was founded in 1996 by Sridhar Vembu and Tony Thomas, Arattai is part of a broader suite of over 55 business applications offered by the company. Headquartered in Chennai, Zoho serves more than 130 million users across 150 countries, with notable clients including Amazon, Netflix, Deloitte, Toyota, Sony, Puma, and L’Oreal. Vembu’s commitment to enhancing the app’s infrastructure and performance reflects the company’s dedication to providing a reliable communication tool for its users.
