Opensource is love towards the world

I found myself deeply moved after listening to Kailash Nadh, the CTO of Zerodha. It wasn’t just what he said — it was how he thinks. His view of technology is so radically open, so intrinsically free, that when asked why he supports open source, he almost couldn’t explain it.

"It’s just how it should be." He doesn't think of code any other way.

To him, code should be open — not just because it's better, but because there is no alternative. The best way to learn? Take some code, change something, break it, fix it, give it back, and do it again. Rinse. Repeat. Grow. That’s not just programming — it’s evolution.

And honestly, it hit me: Open source is love. It’s our collective kindness — a radical belief that we’re all in this together, and when we share what we build, everyone wins.

The World Runs on Open Source

Look around.

• Linux powers the majority of the internet.
• Kubernetes runs modern cloud infrastructure.
• WordPress fuels 43% of all websites.
• Even the magic behind ChatGPT? It began when Google open-sourced the now-legendary Transformer paper. Without that? No OpenAI. No ChatGPT. Full stop.

The biggest breakthroughs in tech aren't born in isolation — they are unlocked by open access.

Zerodha: A Case Study in First Principles + Open Source

Zerodha serves over 8.1 million active users with a tech team of just 35 people.

Yes, you read that right. Thirty-five.

Why? Because they think differently. Their entire tech stack is open source, designed from first principles. They don’t just follow trends. They build lean, scale smartly, and reject the idea that more people = more output.

Just like the pioneers of Linux and PostgreSQL, it’s not about team size. It’s about clarity of thought, depth of intent, and a bias for simplicity.

The Heartful Side of Open Source

Kailash’s contributions go beyond Zerodha. One of his side projects — a Malayalam dictionary — started out of frustration. But it soon expanded, powered by decades of selfless contributions from others. Later, it served the Kannada-speaking community too.

This is how knowledge persists: Not through ownership. Through shared effort and collective care. Behind the scenes are those noble souls who contributed their lives work and efforts for the betterment of society .

Rethinking Teams, Tools, and Egos

Let’s challenge a myth:

“We need big teams to build big things.”

Do we really?

Zerodha has 35 member Tech team. Most open-source innovations were built by a handful of people — some by just one. At Zerodha, most projects are run by just two engineers. They adopt the useful parts of Agile when needed — like sprints — but they don’t subscribe to rigid frameworks. They stay fluid, intentional, and driven by outcomes.

Now consider this: A small knock on the head can rewire your brain, shift your vision, or shatter your memory. Our egos? Built on a fragile system that’s one fall away from reset. Something to think about.

AI + Open Source = 10x Productivity

Kailash shared that 90% of a recent project was AI-generated. What once took six months now takes hours.

With open-source models like DeepSeek already available, it’s no longer about India building “another one.” It’s about building systems where these innovations happen automatically where deep innovation flows by design, not by force.

Open Source Is the Foundation of Our Future

We need more people like Kailash — people who don’t just use open source, but live by it. People who see it not just as a license, but a philosophy. A way of working. A way of being.

Because in the end, knowledge must be free. And when it is — we all rise.

See you next week, Chandrachood Raveendran Innovators Code

Here's your text, polished for spelling, grammar, and clarity, while keeping the original essence intact:

"Think open source. Size does not determine output. Code every day. AI is transforming how we write code. Build systems with the right thinking and frameworks grounded in first principles — that’s what ensures they scale well.

And it’s not just about technology. Life, too, can be lived in an open-source way — shared freely to benefit many. Consider working with a small group of focused, driven people. That’s where true innovation begins."

🚀 Thought to Take With You This Week:

“Open source isn’t just code. It’s compassion compiled.”

Inspired by Learnings from Kerala Product Hunt

Open-Source Work from Kailash

Personal projects - nadh.in

List monk - Build highly scalable email distribution to millions of users for free

DictPress and Indic.Page and KNphone refers to the efforts on vernacular language translation

Code with compassion!! Live with Happiness ..