'One’s surname doesn’t matter...' PM Modi praises Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal's entrepreneurial journey

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday praised Zomato Ltd.'s founder Deepinder Goyal and called his journey "inspiring". Taking to social media platform X, PM Modi reposted a video of the Zomato CEO where he revealed what his father said when he told him about his startup idea.

In a shoutout to Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that in today’s India, one’s surname holds no significance. The Prime Minister's tweet was a reaction to a Goyal video that went viral, in which he described his company experience and the early doubts he encountered.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri recently hosted an event where Deepinder Goyal gave a very intimate story of how Zomato got its start. His address was recorded, and the video became viral on social media very fast.

In the video, Goyal reminisces about founding Zomato 16 years ago, in 2008. His father's first reaction was one of uncertainty and anxiety. Goyal's father had questioned him, "Janta hai tera baap kaun hai?" which translates to "Do you know who your father is?" meaning that with their lowly background, starting a business looked unlikely.

As a small-town guy from Punjab, Goyal encountered the prevalent attitude that questioned his capacity to flourish in the startup industry. His father's words rang in his ears. "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'," he added.

PM Modi retweeted the video and stated that Goyal's accomplishments served as an inspiration to many ambitious business owners, proving that success is not restricted by last names.

"In today’s India, one’s surname doesn’t matter. What matters is hard work. Your journey is truly inspiring, Deepinder Goyal! It motivates countless youngsters to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. We are committed to providing the right environment for startups to flourish," PM Modi said.

When Deepinder Goyal founded Zomato in 2008, the company was initially a restaurant listing and rating website, but it swiftly expanded into a massive meal delivery business. He was in charge of Zomato's growth into more than 1000 Indian cities.