Deepinder Goyal, founder and Vice Chairman of Eternal — the company formerly known as Zomato — has disclosed that he received an overwhelming response after inviting former team members to consider returning to the organisation.

In a post on X, Goyal said more than 8,000 emails were sent within a week, including around 4,000 from individuals who had previously worked with the company. The remaining messages came from people interested in joining Eternal for the first time.

Goyal noted that many of the emails contained deeply personal accounts, reflecting years of shared experiences, professional journeys, and emotional connections built over time. Several messages referenced work relationships dating back five to fifteen years, making it difficult for current teams to fully understand the background behind each story.

He explained that reviewing all the responses personally has been challenging due to the sheer volume but said efforts are underway to go through every message. However, he acknowledged that responding quickly to each email is not realistically possible.

To speed up communication, Goyal suggested that former colleagues who had worked directly with him contact him via WhatsApp, calling it a faster and more effective way to reconnect.

The update sparked widespread discussion online, with users commenting on leadership legacy, workplace culture, and the long-term impact of professional relationships. Many observers interpreted the scale of responses as an indicator of the strong bond Goyal built with former team members over the years.

Earlier this month, Goyal had publicly invited past employees to rejoin the company, stating that Eternal had grown, evolved, and learned from its earlier chapters, and was open to welcoming returning talent.