Winning Bizness Desk

Mumbai.

Zoho Corporation founder and chief executive Sridhar Vembu has been directed by a California court to deposit a bond worth nearly ₹14,000 crore in an ongoing divorce case, a move being described as one of the costliest marital disputes involving an Indian entrepreneur. The order has drawn wide attention because of the scale of assets involved and the global footprint of the company. Vembu married Pramila Srinivasan in 1993, and the couple has one son. Pramila is an academic and business professional based in the United States.

How the divorce case unfolded

After completing his education at IIT Madras, Sridhar Vembu moved to the United States in 1989 to pursue a PhD at Princeton University. He married Pramila Srinivasan in 1993 and went on to co-found AdventNet in 1996, which later became Zoho Corporation. The family lived in California for nearly three decades. The couple’s son is now 26 years old. In 2019, Vembu returned to India and began running Zoho from his ancestral village Mathalamparai in Tamil Nadu. Two years later, in 2021, he formally filed for divorce in a California court.

Allegations raised by the wife

Pramila Srinivasan has accused Vembu of abandoning both her and their son. In court filings, she alleged that Vembu transferred Zoho shares and property assets to India through complex financial transactions without her knowledge or consent. She also claimed that the ownership structure of Zoho significantly reduced Vembu’s direct stake. According to her submissions:

• Sister Radha Vembu holds about 47.8 percent shares
• Brother Sekar owns around 35.2 percent
• Sridhar Vembu is left with roughly 5 percent, valued at about $225 million
• Key decisions were allegedly taken without her approval

Court order and bond requirement

Based on these claims, the California court ordered Vembu to deposit a bond of about $1.7 billion, roughly ₹14,000 to ₹15,000 crore. Legal observers say this is unprecedented for an Indian-origin business leader and has been dubbed India’s most expensive divorce dispute. The bond is intended to secure financial claims until the case reaches a final settlement.

Vembu’s legal team responds

Sridhar Vembu’s lawyer, Christopher C. Melcher, has strongly contested the court order. Posting on social media platform X, he alleged that Pramila’s legal team misled the judge. Melcher stated that Vembu had offered his wife 50 percent of the company’s shares, which she declined. He described the bond order as invalid and confirmed that an appeal has already been filed. Key points from the defence include:

• Claim of misinformation presented to the judge
• Assertion that a fair share offer was made
• Legal challenge to the bond order underway

Zoho’s rise and Vembu’s wealth

Zoho began its journey in 1996 as AdventNet, founded by Vembu along with his brothers and friend Tony Thomas, focusing initially on network management solutions. In 2009, the company was rebranded as Zoho Corporation and expanded globally. According to Forbes estimates, Sridhar Vembu ranks as India’s 47th richest person, with an estimated net worth of around $6 billion, or nearly ₹54,000 crore. As the divorce case continues, its outcome could have far-reaching implications for both his personal wealth and Zoho’s ownership structure.