Billionaire entrepreneur Sridhar Vembu recently took a nostalgic journey through his childhood dreams, sharing his reflections in a candid post on X. The founder of Zoho recounted a conversation with a nine-year-old girl who had asked him what he aspired to be at her age. With characteristic honesty, Vembu replied that, as a young boy, he had dreamed of becoming a train engine driver. He then added that by the age of twelve, his ambitions had shifted towards cricket, a sport he had passionately wanted to pursue.
However, by the time he was fifteen, Vembu came to a humbling realization: while he loved cricket deeply, his actual talent for the game was modest at best. In fact, he recalled how his brothers would teasingly claim he had "zero talent," a remark he used to dispute vigorously. Accepting his limitations, he decided to redirect his efforts toward his academic strengths, choosing to concentrate more seriously on mathematics and physics—although he admitted to struggling with chemistry. This newfound focus ultimately enabled him to clear the highly competitive IIT JEE entrance examination.
Yet, even during his years at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, Vembu experienced another sobering insight. He recognized that while he was competent in mathematics and physics, he lacked the extraordinary brilliance needed to excel at a world-class level in either field. This realization prompted yet another shift in his path.
It wasn't until after the age of twenty-five that Vembu discovered his true professional calling: software. Embracing this domain somewhat later than many of his peers, he found himself falling deeply in love with it. Over time, software development not only became his career but also his passion, shaping his journey into one of the most successful technology entrepreneurs of his generation.
Despite his professional accomplishments, Vembu's early fascinations still linger. He confessed that he remains fond of trains and harbors a dream of one day building a railway network to better serve rural communities. His affection for cricket, however, has waned, a fact humorously underscored during a recent moment with his brother Mani. As an IPL match played on television, Vembu casually inquired about the number of overs in a match. His brother's astonished reaction suggested that perhaps the young Sridhar's cricketing dreams had indeed been unrealistic.
Reflecting on his life’s winding journey, Vembu concluded with an important lesson: one does not have to start by doing what they love. Instead, it is possible—and perhaps even more rewarding—to grow to love what one ends up doing, so much so that all other dreams are gladly left behind.
However, by the time he was fifteen, Vembu came to a humbling realization: while he loved cricket deeply, his actual talent for the game was modest at best. In fact, he recalled how his brothers would teasingly claim he had "zero talent," a remark he used to dispute vigorously. Accepting his limitations, he decided to redirect his efforts toward his academic strengths, choosing to concentrate more seriously on mathematics and physics—although he admitted to struggling with chemistry. This newfound focus ultimately enabled him to clear the highly competitive IIT JEE entrance examination.
A 9 year old asked me recently what I wanted to be when I was her age. I told her the truth "train engine driver". And then I told her "At 12, I wanted to be a cricket player so badly".
— Sridhar Vembu (@svembu) April 27, 2025
By about 15, I realised I had only marginal talent for cricket (my brothers would say "zero…
Yet, even during his years at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, Vembu experienced another sobering insight. He recognized that while he was competent in mathematics and physics, he lacked the extraordinary brilliance needed to excel at a world-class level in either field. This realization prompted yet another shift in his path.
It wasn't until after the age of twenty-five that Vembu discovered his true professional calling: software. Embracing this domain somewhat later than many of his peers, he found himself falling deeply in love with it. Over time, software development not only became his career but also his passion, shaping his journey into one of the most successful technology entrepreneurs of his generation.
Despite his professional accomplishments, Vembu's early fascinations still linger. He confessed that he remains fond of trains and harbors a dream of one day building a railway network to better serve rural communities. His affection for cricket, however, has waned, a fact humorously underscored during a recent moment with his brother Mani. As an IPL match played on television, Vembu casually inquired about the number of overs in a match. His brother's astonished reaction suggested that perhaps the young Sridhar's cricketing dreams had indeed been unrealistic.
Reflecting on his life’s winding journey, Vembu concluded with an important lesson: one does not have to start by doing what they love. Instead, it is possible—and perhaps even more rewarding—to grow to love what one ends up doing, so much so that all other dreams are gladly left behind.
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