Sridhar Vembu responds to Sabbir Bhatia controversy saying India should ‘appreciate every chapter of its history’

An online debate between two billionaires over how India should view its past has sparked a debate on social media, with Indian-origin tech entrepreneurs Sabeer Bhatia and Sridhar Vembu clashing after Vembu likened Bhatia’s comments to asking Jews to “appreciate” the Holocaust.The row started after Bhatia, the Indian-American co-founder of Hotmail, posted a message urging Indians to acknowledge the positive and negative parts of the country’s history rather than remain “stuck in the endless battles of the past.”“India should be able to appreciate every chapter of its history without feeling threatened. The Mughals left behind a legacy of magnificent architecture, art, cuisine, language and culture. The British left institutions, infrastructure and the English language behind, which opened doors for millions of people, including me. I wouldn’t be where I am now without mastering English. ” Bhatia wrote on X.“A mature civilization recognizes its past achievements and mistakes. Yet today, too much energy is spent hating what came before us rather than building on it. We should be grateful to the generations who gave us the foundation we inherited, learn from history and focus on creating a better future,” he added.He also said: “The future is full of opportunities. Let us embrace it instead of getting stuck in the endless battles of the past.”Some users agreed that India should take a balanced view of history, while others accused Bhatia of downplaying the suffering caused during foreign invasion and colonial rule.Vembu, the billionaire co-founder of Zoho Corporation, has responded forcefully, rejecting the idea that painful historical periods should simply be “appreciated”.“Would Sabir Bhatia advise Jews to ‘appreciate’ the Holocaust chapter of their history?” Vembu wrote in response.“In fact, it was because the Jews remembered history and said ‘never again’ that they were able to build Israel and all its technological prowess and revive the Hebrew language,” Wembu said.He added: “Bharat will accomplish it all. We will rebuild our great civilization, we will remember our history (never again!) and honor our ancestors, and we will revive our great language.”One of the earliest Indian-origin technology pioneers in Silicon Valley, Bhatia was born in Chandigarh and grew up in Bangalore. He co-founded Hotmail in 1996, which was acquired by Microsoft two years later. He often talks about how learning English helped shape his career.Vembu was born in Tamil Nadu and founded Zoho Corporation in 1996 after studying at IIT Madras and Princeton University. In recent years, he has become known for advocating for rural development, Indian languages ​​and decentralized growth in technology.Sridhar Vembu has previously said that Indian professionals do not need to move to the US for opportunities but should build their careers in India. He advocates “reverse migration” of skilled workers and supports the development of skills and employment opportunities within India, including in small towns and rural areas.