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Deepinder Goyal opens up about childhood bullying and insecurities: 'I used to be short, dark, stammering kid'
Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal said that he was bullied as a child due to his stammering, appearance and poor grades. He added that he has now made peace with it.
Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal has opened up about being bullied as a child and his long struggle with stammering, saying that it affected his confidence well into adulthood. Goyal was speaking on creator Raj Shamani’s podcast, where he discussed a wide range of topics, including 10-minute deliveries, competition in the food delivery space, and the lives of gig workers. The conversation also turned personal, with the entrepreneur revisiting his childhood days.
Goyal, 42, said he was bullied in school, particularly over his stammering. Recalling his early years, he said, “I used to be a very short, dark, stammering kid. I used to struggle with my studies as well.” He added that parents of other children would even warn them against befriending him. He also shared that he scored just 42% in Class 11, a score that is considered low in the conventional education system.
(Also Read: Deepinder Goyal says Zomato, Blinkit delivered at 'record pace' on NYE despite gig workers' strike)
Deepinder Goyal opens up about insecurities
Goyal further said that his appearance did not bother him as much, but it was his speech impediment that hurt the most. He recalled that people would often lose patience when he spoke. “People didn’t listen. So, mid-sentence, people used to start talking about something else or stop listening and look away. It’s like whatever I’d say did not have any value,” he said, adding that many doubted whether he would even be able to get his words out.
The Zomato chief said his family remained supportive, but bullying during childhood can overshadow reassurance at home. “Even if your home is supportive, you don’t think of that as valid. It’s like, ‘The outside world is speaking the truth. You're supposed to love me. You must be lying to make me feel good.’ I think that might also be going on,” he said.
(Also Read: ‘Your life is built on their sweat’: Founder calls out Zomato's Deepinder Goyal over gig workers issue)
‘I’m very at peace with it’
Goyal said he has now made peace with his stammering and no longer sees it as a barrier. Success, he added, has also changed how people react to him. “Now I'm like, okay. I'll get stuck. Finally, the word will come out. I'm very at peace with it. Okay, it will get stuck. We'll see. I think that also comes with, even if I stammer, people will now listen to me. I've earned a little bit of that,” he said.
When asked whether his stammering ever affected business meetings or investor interactions, Goyal admitted the possibility, saying some people may even have chosen not to invest in Zomato because of it.
