Byju's is the name synonymous with childhood wonder, frantic parental WhatsApp groups, and the constant, nagging fear of falling behind in the never-ending rat race. But behind the cheery animations and celebrity endorsements lies a truth stranger than fiction: the woman who may have orchestrated Byju's rise to edtech superstardom, might also be the mastermind behind its potential (dramatic music please) downfall.
Enter Divya Gokulnath, co-founder and the yin to Byju Raveendran's yang. While Byju, bless his enthusiastic soul, charmed investors with his tales of passionate learning, Divya, the ever-pragmatic counterpart, went on an acquisition spree that would make even Mukesh Ambani raise an eyebrow.
Remember that mom-and-pop lemonade stand you loved as a kid? Byju's bought it. That dusty abacus your grandpa used? Acquired. Dreams of becoming a astronaut?Byju's has a learning app for that (complete with zero-gravity simulations, because apparently space travel isn't stressful enough).
The result? A glorious, content-saturated behemoth that resembled an educational theme park with more tentacles than an octopus after a bad day at the fusion reactor. Pre-teens were bombarded with coding classes, while toddlers wrestled with existential angst in "Philosophy for Fun" sessions. It was enough to make even the most diligent student yearn for the good old days of rote learning and leaky pens.
But wait, there's more! Divya, in her infinite wisdom, decided aggressive sales tactics were the key to unlocking Byju's true potential. Picture this: parents being chased down by enthusiastic salespeople wielding iPads filled with meticulously crafted guilt trips ("Your child could be the next Einstein, but only if they subscribe to Byju's Advanced Rocket Science for Toddlers!").
Social media wasn't spared either. Every influencer with a sizeable following was bombarded with lucrative offers to hawk Byju's like it was the holy grail of education. Suddenly, your favorite travel blogger was shilling calculus theorems, and your go-to meme page was churning out existential dread disguised as inspirational quotes about quadratic equations.
The public outcry was swift and glorious. Parents, already drowning in homework woes, rebelled. Memes of sleep-deprived children grappling with astrophysics went viral. Even Parliament took notice, with one witty MP quipping, "Byju's is turning our homes into mini-universities, except with worse food and far less sleep!"
So, has Divya Gokulnath single-handedly destroyed Byju's? Well, dear reader, the jury's still out. But one thing's for sure: Divya's reign has given us enough comedic fodder to last a lifetime. Perhaps Byju's next acquisition should be a stand-up comedy club. They've certainly got the material.