Today, whenever we need information online, the first name that comes to mind is
Google. Its fast search results and easy-to-use interdata-face have made it a household name. However, the story of
internet search in India didn’t start with Google. In fact, during the 1990s, indian users relied on a variety of
other platforms and methods to find information online.
🔹 1. The Early Days of Internet in India
· Internet access in india began in the mid-1990s, primarily through
dial-up connections.· Browsing was slow, and search tools were limited compared to today.· Popular indian ISPs like
VSNL (Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited) played a key role in connecting households and offices to the web.
🔹 2. Pre-Google search Engines
Before Google’s arrival in india in 2000, people used several
search engines and directories:1.
Yahoo! Indiao Launched in the mid-90s, it was more of a
web directory than a search engine.o Users navigated through categories to find websites.2.
Altavistao Known for its advanced search algorithms at the time.o Popular among tech-savvy users for global searches.3.
Rediff Searcho One of India’s first portals providing search along with news and email services.o Focused on indian content and localized searches.4.
Lycos & Exciteo Other international search engines that were moderately popular among indian users.
🔹 3. How people Searched
·
Directories and portals: Users often browsed through categorized lists of websites.·
Keyword-heavy searches: Since search algorithms weren’t as advanced, users had to be very specific in their queries.·
Email forums and newsgroups: Many indians relied on mailing lists and discussion forums to find information.
🔹 4. Why google Changed Everything
· google introduced
fast, accurate, and simple search using PageRank algorithms.· It offered
localized search results for india and supported multiple indian languages over time.· Gradually, google
dominated the indian search market, making other search engines almost obsolete.
✅ Key Takeaways
·
India’s internet journey began long before google became popular.· Early users relied on
Yahoo!, Rediff, Altavista, and discussion forums to find information.· Google’s innovation in
search speed, relevance, and user-friendliness transformed the way indians accessed the internet.
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