Radha Vembu, Co-founder of Zoho Corporation, has topped the 2025 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List as the leading first-generation self-made wealth creator. With a personal wealth of Rs 55,300 crore, she has played a major role in transforming Zoho into a global software powerhouse.
Hurun recognises her as philanthropist and changemaker
Vembu is also making a strong social impact. She featured in Hurun’s Philanthropy List, having donated Rs 11 crore towards women’s empowerment, rural development, and education.
Her contributions focus on uplifting underprivileged communities and enhancing opportunities for women. Her work through Zoho Schools of Learning is often highlighted as a blend of business leadership and community empowerment.
Zoho Schools does not charge tuition fees—instead, it pays students a stipend of Rs 10,000 per month during the first year, which increases to Rs 15,000 in the second year. After completion, they also offer an opportunity to become an employee at Zoho Corporation.
Despite preferring a low-profile lifestyle on social media, Radha Vembu has appeared many times in the India Rich List 2024 and the Global Rich List 2024, solidifying her place among the top business leaders globally.
Driving Zoho’s growth since 1996
Born in Chennai in 1972, Radha Vembu studied at National Higher Secondary School and later completed her degree in industrial management from IIT Madras. In 1996, she co-founded Zoho, then known as AdventNet, along with her brother Sridhar Vembu. Today, the firm offers a wide range of business, collaboration, and productivity applications across the globe.
Radha Vembu owns nearly 47 to 50 per cent of the company and currently serves as the product manager for Zoho Mail, one of the firm’s flagship products. Under her leadership, Zoho has emerged among the top five business email providers in the world.