On a rain-soaked Independence Day in 1995, as the tricolour rose skyward, another quiet revolution was taking shape — one that would forever alter India’s digital destiny.

Behind this historic leap stood passionate visionaries and technologists who worked tirelessly to turn the dream of a connected India into reality.

On that day, Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL) launched its Gateway Internet Access Service (GIAS), pushing the nation into the ranks of global digital pioneers.

As India commemorates this landmark anniversary, it’s worth looking back on the remarkable journey that transformed the country’s relationship with technology.

Today, with more than 900 million users, the internet has become an indispensable part of daily life for Indians. It shapes everything — from banking and news consumption to entertainment, online shopping, education, and staying connected through social media, WhatsApp, and video calls.

The internet, once a novelty, is now a necessity many feel they couldn’t live without. Yet few may recall how this digital revolution began and what it took to get here.

Before the boom: BBS and the pre-Internet era

India’s digital journey started much earlier in unexpected corners — often in the homes of passionate students and techies, long before commercial networks went live.

Before the commercial internet arrived in India, a thriving BBS (Bulletin Board System) community existed, connecting computers over landlines and modems.

It was in 1989 that students Suchit Nanda and his brother Anish started Live Wire! BBS (LWBBS) from their bedroom in Mumbai’s Powai.

LWBBS was the first and largest BBS in the Indian subcontinent, playing a foundational role in connecting

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