Written By: Puja Bhardwaj
The Made-in-India instant messaging app, Arattai, is making waves these days. Within 72 hours, the signups of this app went from 5,000 daily signups to more than 2 million. This application is known to give tough competition to giant apps like WhatsApp and Weibo. It comes up with numerous features like any modern messenger. Arattai allows text messaging, voice and video calls, stories, and channels, as well as media sharing. It is a free and simple application that allows users to connect with friends and family securely.
Launched in the year 2021 by Chennai-based Zoho, this messaging app crossed 350,000 daily downloads in the country in just three days after launch. Although numerous India-based messaging apps have been striving to create an audience, only a few have succeeded. Arattai seems to manage and establish its positions. The most exciting part is that it has become the most downloaded app on the Play Store.
On social sites, users are sharing their experience with the app. Even the Indian government is promoting Arattai to give a boost to made-in-India products. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan have endorsed the Arattai app. Its remarkable rise is part of a broader push for digital sovereignty and India-made technologies.
The Meaning – Arattai
Arattai means casual conversation in Tamil; the name perfectly showcases the app’s purpose. The platform has two major focuses – first is easing the communication, and second is taking care of security and privacy.
Exciting Features and Functionality
Arattai offers features for both personal and business communication, like WhatsApp offers, like media sharing and Instagram-style Stories Channels. It comes up with multi-device support when working across mobile, desktop and Android TV platforms.
Additionally, it has video conferencing ability like Google Meet or Zoom that lets users create, join, schedule and see meetings in the app. Further, it has a personal cloud storage feature saving messages, media and other important content. Another feature is that it lists all messages where an individual’s name is mentioned for better notification management.
Arattai works completely on Zoho’s indigenous technology stack, with no reliance on AWS. This home-based infrastructure gives Zoho full control over the performance, scalability and data privacy while saving on its own servers in the country.
As of now, Arattai does not include AI features and also does not display any advertisements or use user data for any purpose.
The Core Vision behind Arattai
Sridhar Vembu, the founder of Zoho, has been advocating for digital independence. He envisions Arattai not just as a product but as a solution against overreliance on foreign tech giants. At present, when the data-sharing policies of WhatsApp with Meta have made people concerned, Zoho offers a trustworthy option based in Indian soil.
How to Download and Log in to Arattai
- On the phone, open the Google Play Store/Apple App Store
- Search for Arattai Messenger.
- Tap ‘install’ and ‘open’ after installation
- Register with your mobile number and verify through OTP
Bottom Line
Arattai has emerged as more than just a new chat application; it showcases India’s growing control over its digital destiny. With its features and abilities, the application is set to position itself as a leading Indian rival to WhatsApp.
Whether it can compete with WhatsApp or not, Arattai has come at the right time when the demand for homegrown technologies is skyrocketing and the need for self-reliance is very important.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Arattai Messenger Indian?
Yes, Arattai is an India-made instant messaging app, developed by Zoho Corporation, a renowned Indian tech company.
Who owns the Arattai app?
Chennai-based IT company Zoho Corporation owns the Arattai app.
Is Arattai encrypted?
Yes. Arattai is encrypted and offers end-to-end encryption for voice and video calls. But standard text messages are not end-to-end encrypted by default.
Why is Arattai in the news suddenly?
While Arattai was launched in 2021, the platform saw massive popularity in September this year after it was endorsed by government officials.
Is the Arattai app free?
Yes, Arattai is completely free to download. Also, users do not need to pay any subscription fee for using this freeware messaging app.
