A Kerala guru’s hug inspired Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff’s $248 billion vision. Who is Mata Amritanandamayi?
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala — A quiet encounter in a village in Kerala nearly three decades ago became the unlikely spark behind one of the world’s most successful tech enterprises. Marc Benioff, co-founder and CEO of Salesforce, recently revealed how a spiritual trip to India in the late ’90s played a defining role in shaping his company’s identity and ethos.
During a conversation with The Economic Times, Benioff traced the roots of Salesforce’s philanthropic and people-first culture back to his 1996–97 visit to Thiruvananthapuram. The purpose of the visit? To meet his spiritual guide, Mata Amritanandamayi, affectionately known worldwide as Amma or the hugging saint.
“Salesforce really started back in 1996-97 when I was on a trip to India… I was on my way to see my guru down in Thiruvananthapuram,” Benioff said.
It was during this trip that he shared his early vision of a cloud-based business platform—one that would go on to revolutionize enterprise software. But it wasn’t just technology that took root that day. Amma’s words, urging him to “do something for somebody else” and “be nice to people”, became the foundational values of Salesforce’s corporate philosophy.
Benioff described the meeting as surreal—“like a scene from a movie”—set in a peaceful Indian village with the scent of incense and people dressed in spiritual whites and oranges. That deeply emotional experience left a permanent imprint on him, influencing not only the creation of Salesforce but also his lifelong commitment to philanthropy.
Who is Mata Amritanandamayi?
Known for her simple yet profound act of hugging as a form of spiritual blessing, Mata Amritanandamayi has embraced over 40 million people across the globe. Her followers believe these hugs—her unique form of darshan—are filled with compassion, healing, and unconditional love. Crowds often wait hours, sometimes days, for a brief moment in her presence.
Beyond the hugs, Amma leads vast humanitarian efforts through her organization, Mata Amritanandamayi Math, which supports disaster relief, healthcare, education, and social welfare globally. She also founded Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, one of India’s top private universities with a strong focus on research and societal impact.
Despite not aligning with any particular religion or sect, Amma’s message of universal love and service has earned her reverence across continents—from rural Indian villages to elite Silicon Valley circles.
Spirituality in the Corporate World
Benioff has continued to draw on the spiritual guidance he received in India, integrating its principles into Salesforce’s DNA. The company’s commitment to community service, ethical leadership, and corporate responsibility can all be traced back to that pivotal meeting in Kerala.
As Salesforce continues to grow and evolve, its billionaire CEO often returns to those early teachings. For Benioff, success is not just about business—it’s about building a more compassionate world, one hug at a time.
