(Image source from: News24online.com)
In a warm gesture to Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that surnames have no meaning in India today. The Prime Minister's tweet came in response to a viral video in which Goyal shared his journey into entrepreneurship and the initial doubts he faced. At a recent event hosted by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Deepinder Goyal shared a very personal anecdote about starting Zomato. A video of his speech quickly went viral on social media. In this video, Goyal recalls that Zomato was launched 16 years ago in 2008. His father's first reaction was one of suspicion and concern. Goyal's father asked, Janta hai tera bap kavan hai? It's like, "Do you know who your father is?", it means that it's hard to believe that someone with a bad background would join a startup. As a boy from a small town in Punjab, Goyal encountered prevailing attitudes that questioned his ability to succeed in the startup world. His father's words echoed in his ears. “When I told my father that I started Zomato, he said, ‘Janata hai tera bap kaon hai?’” he says. “But it is the government and thanks to their efforts, a little guy like me was able to build a company like Zomato, which now employs hundreds of thousands of people,” he said.
In today’s India, one’s surname doesn’t matter. What matters is hardwork. Your journey is truly inspiring, @deepigoyal! It motivates countless youngsters to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. We are committed to providing the right environment for the startups to flourish. https://t.co/E9ccqYyVzv
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 22, 2024
Prime Minister Modi re-released the video and said that success is not limited to a family name and Goyal's achievements are an inspiration to many aspiring entrepreneurs. “In today’s India, surnames don’t matter. What counts is hard work. Deeper Goyal, your journey is truly inspiring! She has inspired countless young people to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. We are fully committed to creating the right environment for Let's.” Startups: Flourish After launching Zomato in 2008, Deepinder Goyal quickly transformed the startup from a restaurant listings and reviews platform into a food delivery giant. Goyal, an alumnus of IIT Delhi, recently appeared as a shark in the second season of Shark Tank in over 1,000 cities in India. He was also in the news for his marriage to former model and entrepreneur Garcia Munoz.
