Family legacy is the cornerstone of Indian society and has been seen as a tool for gaining influence for decades. In India, a family’s legacy might include a vast range of things, such as assets, businesses, social standing, cultural customs, and ideals that have been passed down through the centuries. Nonetheless, there has been a noticeable decrease in the importance of family legacy in recent years.
Similarly, family legacies have long been a defining feature of Indian politics. Dynastic politics has been a prominent tendency in Indian politics, in which political power and influence are passed down through generations within the same family. However, like in the startup ecosystem, the importance of family legacies in Indian politics has been diminishing lately. There are a number of reasons for this change, but the primary one is the rise of new political figures like Prime Minister Modi.
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PM Modi’s humble background has been his biggest political weapon. He leaves no chance to highlight how he became Prime Minister of India after selling Chai at the railway station. Now, as the 2024 general elections are currently going on, PM Modi has increased his subtle and indirect attacks on opposition ridden with dynasty politics. In a similar vein, PM Modi recently replied to Deepinder Goyal’s viral remarks about surnames.
Deepinder Goyal talked about how surnames used to be important in the past
Deepinder Goyal, the CEO of Zomato, is well-known in the Indian startup scene. However, not many know that he came from a humble background.
Recently, Deepinder Goyal shared a firsthand account of Zomato’s origins at an event backed by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. The video of his speech quickly gained popularity on social media.
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In the video, Goyal reflects on starting Zomato in 2008, sixteen years ago. He remembered the skepticism and anxiety that characterized his father’s first response. Goyal’s father had asked him, “Janta hai tera baap kaun hai?” which translates to “Do you know who your father is? It implies that their humble background made a startup venture seem unreal.
The comments of his father continued to bother him. Speaking about this, Deepinder said,
“When I told my dad about starting Zomato, he said, ‘Janta hai tera baap kaun hai?’ which basically meant ‘You can’t do a startup’.”
However, Deepinder ran against a common belief that doubted his capacity to be successful in the startup industry. He went on to emphasize how the government and his startup initiatives worked in his favor. Deepinder said,
“But it was this government and their initiatives enabled a small-town boy like me to build something like Zomato, which employs lakhs of people today!”
Deepinder Goyal, Zomato
When I started Zomato in 2008, my father used to say “tu janta hai tera baap kaun hai” as my dad thought I could never do a start up given our humble background. This government and their initiatives enabled a small town boy like me to build something… pic.twitter.com/vogdM6v8oT
— Hardeep Singh Puri (मोदी का परिवार) (@HardeepSPuri) May 20, 2024
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PM Modi reacted to Deepinder Goyal’s viral video
Soon, the video went viral and even attracted PM Modi’s attention. As we all know, PM Modi left no chance to attack family legacies; he reacted to Deepinder’s video in his signature way.
Retweeting the video, PM Modi stressed that Goyal’s accomplishments should serve as an example for ambitious business owners and that success is not restricted by last names. In his post, he wrote,
“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.”
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
How did Deepinder Goyal react to PM Modi’s comments on his speech?
Reacting to PM Modi’s above-mentioned remarks, Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal wrote,
“Thank you for your kind words, sir. This does certainly motivate us to work harder, and do better.”
Thank you for your kind words, sir. This does certainly motivate us to work harder, and do better. https://t.co/L9mQhMzymC
— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) May 22, 2024
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What do you think about this exchange between PM Modi and Deepinder Goyal? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section.
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