The Hindu : National : "in" Internet domain launched

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 07, 2005

National

National

"in" Internet domain launched

By Our Staff Reporter

THE `IN' THING: The Communication and Information Technology Minister, Dayanidhi Maran, presenting a certificate to Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Group, to mark the extension of the .in domain name registry services by the National Internet Exchange of India, at a function in New Delhi on Thursday. — Photo: Shanker Chakravarty

NEW DELHI, JAN. 6. Indian identity in cyberspace got a major boost today following the extension of the ".in" country code Internet domain name registry, launched by the Union Communications Minister, Dayanidhi Maran, in the presence of eminent industrialists in the Capital.

Developed by the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI),".in" will be the official Internet domain of India, Mr. Maran said. Owners of registered Indian trademarks or service marks, who wished to protect their identity, would be given the opportunity to apply for ".in" domain names before opening it up for the general public.

Online registration

"Sunrise applications are being accepted from January 1 to 21 through four registrars — Direct 1, Good Luck Domains, Net4India Limited and Online NIC — followed by a silent period when applications would be scrutinised. The date for the opening of real-time (open registration for the general public) is February 16. The entire process of registration would be online and was likely to be completed within 24 hours," Mr. Maran said .

He said five-lakh Indian companies had been registered with other domain names and only 700 companies owned the ".in" domain. But now, more companies would be benefited from the new domain. The new facility, along with the proliferation of broadband, would make use of the Internet cheaper and easier, he added.

The new domain has already been adopted by 118 top Indian Government and private companies, including the Tata Group, the Bharti Group, TVS, MRF, Reliance, BSNL, MTNL, Indian Airlines, Air India, Wipro, Sun Network, Essar Group, HCL, The Hindu, the India Today Group, The Times Group, NDTV, the Hindustan Times, Moser Baer, UB Group, Sify and Satyam. Heads of these companies received certificates on the occasion from Mr. Maran .

Ratan Tata of the Tata Group said the unique domain name would give his companies an identity that they never enjoyed and allow them to use it to their advantage.

Narrating how Airtel was not able to get it registered in ".com" domain as it had been allotted to a European company, Sunil Mittal of the Bharti Group said with its new domain name, his company now truly represented India. Other business leaders also called it a proud moment for them.

Terming it a "fine initiative," N. Ram, the Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu said he hoped that the newly liberalised norms for domain registration would immensely help the Indian industry, besides creating the national identity in cyberspace. "Apart from the Indian industry and the corporate world, universities, scientific institutions, public sector undertakings and other organisations should avail this great opportunity to make their presence felt in the cyber space," Mr. Ram said.

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