e-brand
e-brand
Embedded Files
The Hindu, March 24, 2000 - "Glimpses of e-brands" featuring Cyberabad.com
Introduction
Introduction
This digital heritage exhibit preserves one of the earliest public records of Hyderabad’s online identity - a 2000 newspaper feature on Cyberabad.com, published in The Hindu. At a time when the Internet was still new to India, Cyberabad.com emerged as one of the first comprehensive guides to Hyderabad and Secunderabad, pioneering local information services on the web.
Historical Context
Historical Context
Created in 1997 and officially registered in December 1997, Cyberabad.com was the earliest website offering structured information about Hyderabad - including history, travel, news, assistance, and software tools. It represented the early phase of India’s transition into the digital era, especially for cities like Hyderabad that would later become major IT hubs.
Full OCR Transcription of the Article
Full OCR Transcription of the Article
THE HINDU, Friday, March 24, 2000
e-brand
Glimpses of e-brands
The pioneering site for the twin cities, dishing out excellent and vast info on Hyderabad and Secunderabad when these cities hardly had any presence on the exciting new frontier, the Internet.
All kinds of info including history, tour guides and current events. Started way back in mid-1997 and registered in Dec. ’97 www.cyberabad.com could be really called the pioneer in talking about Hyderabad on the net. The content, design and look was slick and professional right from day one and has continued to evolve and mature into the year 2000.
Perhaps this is the only site which provides unique features like in-depth info on the history of Hyderabad, assistance, free downloads of softwares like automatic internet dialing tools. Interestingly, the assistance section gets requests for all sorts of assistance.
As per Mr. Sami Baig and Arif Baig - the directors of the company, they once received a mail from a foreigner asking information regarding travel and accommodation in Hyderabad.
For any and all kinds of information on Hyderabad - information, entertainment, news, search, assistance, city based info, important telephone numbers, etc., log into www.cyberabad.com.
The future vision of cyberabad.com team sees itself adding greeting cards, free email, free web pages, building hyperactive Hyderabad mailing lists, sending email through hard copies branded as email2post, build an online mall, etc.
The company behind the site SiliconChips.com is future ready with plans to sell computers and peripherals online.
🏛️ Historical Exhibit Note
🏛️ Historical Exhibit Note
Cyberabad.com - The Dawn of Hyderabad’s Digital Identity
Cyberabad.com - The Dawn of Hyderabad’s Digital Identity
Published in The Hindu, March 24, 2000
At the turn of the millennium, Cyberabad.com stood as a pioneering beacon of Hyderabad’s online presence. Conceived and launched by Sami Baig and Arif Baig in 1997, it was among the first city portals in India, offering information, travel assistance, and digital services for Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
When the Internet was still new to Indian households, Cyberabad.com provided:
Historical and cultural information about Hyderabad.
Local guides, contact details, and useful downloadable tools.
Assistance and practical support for travelers and foreign visitors.
Day-to-day developments documented with digital images and reports.
The website’s design and mission anticipated many hallmarks of the modern web - including online malls, email services, web pages, and e-commerce - long before they became mainstream in India.
Backed by the company SiliconChips.com, the project symbolized Hyderabad’s emerging tech optimism and helped seed the identity of the city as India’s Cyber Capital.
Chandrababu Naidu promises Cyberabad by the year 2000
Chandrababu Naidu promises Cyberabad by the year 2000
- The leader with Clarity in Vision. Precision in Implementation. Excellence in Delivery.
Construction of the iconic Cyber Towers began in September 1997 after Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu personally finalized its design.
The newly developing western corridor of Hyderabad - soon popularly called “Cyberabad” began gaining recognition around the time of the HITEC City inauguration in November 1998. The HITEC City concept itself was the brainchild of Naidu, whose forward-looking vision for a technology-driven future shaped the region at a time when very few could understand the significance of such development.
Since 1997, Cyberabad.com has served as a pioneering information resource for the region. Initially hosted on free platforms before migrating to its own domain and dedicated server later that year, it consistently documented day-to-day developments through digital photographs and reports. Its focus remained on the bold initiatives and policy decisions of the dynamic, proactive, and future-oriented Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu.
Key Dates and Milestones
Key Dates and Milestones
• November 22, 1998 - Inauguration of Cyber Towers
The first phase of the Hyderabad Information Technology and Engineering Consultancy City (HITEC City) - Cyber Towers - was inaugurated by India’s Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in the presence of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
This marked a turning point in Hyderabad’s rise as a global IT hub.
Naidu also convinced Bill Gates to establish Microsoft’s first development center outside the United States in Hyderabad. Cyber Towers, inaugurated in 1998, housed Microsoft as one of its earliest tenants.
• Since 1998 - Media adoption of the term “Cyberabad”
The term gained rapid popularity as newspapers and television networks used it to describe the emerging IT corridor.
• Delivering his promise by 2000 - The Bill Clinton Visit
U.S. President Bill Clinton visited Cyber Towers on 24 March 2000, where he addressed IT professionals, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders.
He highlighted the future of Indo-U.S. technology cooperation and acknowledged the contributions of companies such as Infosys, Wipro, and Satyam.
The visit symbolized a historic shift in Hyderabad’s global identity - from the old city’s Charminar to the new high-tech landmark, Cyber Towers.
Key aspects of the visit:
Official Host: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu received President Clinton at the airport and presided over all events.
Main Venue: Cyber Towers, where Clinton delivered his address and praised Naidu’s transformative leadership.
Significance: The visit was widely regarded as an international endorsement of Hyderabad’s emergence as a world-class IT destination.
• 2001 - Formal establishment of the Cyberabad Development Authority (CDA)
Under Naidu’s leadership, Cyberabad was officially designated as a special development zone with the creation of the Cyberabad Development Authority in 2001.
The master plan was approved through G.O. Ms. No. 538, MA, dated October 29, 2001.
The zone included key townships such as Madhapur, Gachibowli, Kondapur, Manikonda, and Nanakramguda - designed as a self-contained ecosystem for IT companies, R&D institutions, residential communities, and allied services.
• Since 2003 - Cyberabad Police Commissionerate
To support the expanding IT district, a separate Cyberabad Police Commissionerate was created.
• By 2025 - Cyberabad.
Cyberabad has evolved into one of India’s leading business districts and the symbolic heart of modern Hyderabad, home to numerous multinational technology companies and global innovation centers.
About the Preservation
About the Preservation
This webpage is part of an ongoing effort to document and preserve the early Internet history of Hyderabad. If you have additional materials, screenshots, archives, or memories related to the early digital era of the city, you are welcome to contribute - webmaster (at) cyberabad.com
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