'Shocked all': Thyrocare CEO Arokiaswamy Velumani takes Ola ride after 5-star event

Thyrocare Technologies founder and CEO, Dr Arokiaswamy Velumani recently made a significant move to demonstrate that he values simplicity and effective travel more over luxury car ride. After attending an event at a luxurious five-star hotel, Dr Arokiaswamy Velumani opted for the service of cab aggregator Ola instead of taking his own luxury car.

Taking to social media platform X, Thyrocare Technologies CEO stated, “True Luxury in Life. In a 5-star hotel portico. At 10:30 pm. After dinner, I called for OLA. While waiting many insisted for a selfie.”

Describing the situation further, he said that long queue of all high-end cars patiently waited behind Ola taxi while he made a swift and efficient move with his choice. "Long queue. All high-end cars of Rich are behind the OLA patiently. When I sat in OLA it shocked all. When you are tall. Be cool. Be frugal. Be humble. Rich and famous also respected. EMI gets high-end cars and an artificial high. But OLA gets you peace for sure," the post adds.

According to Dr Arokiaswamy Velumani, one should be frugal, humble, down-to-earth and practical. He emphasised simplicity over materialism with this humble gesture. The viral post amassed over 1.75 crore views. 1.7 thousand likes and several comments. Netizens were abuzz following Velumani's preference of simplicity over luxury.

A user pointed to the CEO's conflicting philosophy and practise, “Why go to 5 star if he wants to be frugal? Doesnt the same logic of a car choice apply to food too? Just curious.” Another user remarked, "True luxury isn't about the wheels; it's about the mindset. Humility and peace will always outrun any high-end car."

A third user stated, “Dr. Velumani can even take an OLA auto to a five-star hotel, and it will be seen as admirable simplicity because he is Dr. Velumani, a successful entrepreneur. But if a genuinely middle-class person does the same, they'll be met with judgmental stares, as if they're there for a free AC experience. Society romanticizes simplicity in the rich but devalues it in the poor, exposing a deep-rooted hypocrisy in how we perceive wealth and worth.”

A fourth user commented, “So I do not own a car, driving is a pain in Mumbai, parking double pain, why take this headache when we just need our body to be moved from 1 place to another, can move in own car or rental does not matter.” Praising the CEO, a user wrote, "Very glad to hear leaders walking the talk on simple living and high thinking Indeed Ola makes life easy on mobility aspect."

Known for frugal travel habits, Dr Arokiaswamy Velumani recounted his experience of taking a local train in Mumbai previously, which saved him 52 minutes compared to traveling by car.