DBT Bureau
Pune, 4 Oct 2025
Zoho Corporation is promoting its messaging app Arattai as a homegrown alternative to WhatsApp. Launched in 2021, the app offers features like private chats, voice and video calls and group messaging. The name “Arattai” means “chat” in Tamil, reflecting its Indian roots.
With growing concerns about data privacy on global platforms, Zoho is positioning Arattai as a secure, India-made messaging option that protects user information while still giving a smooth chat experience. The move also highlights India’s rising interest in developing self-reliant digital platforms.
Arattai is growing in India as a local alternative to WhatsApp. In the past few days, daily downloads of Arattai rose from about 3,000 to 350,000, showing strong interest from users. This comes as people look for more privacy-focused apps and the government encourages using homegrown digital platforms.
