Biography
Gaurab Raj Upadhaya is one of South Asia’s most influential Internet infrastructure pioneers. Originally from Nepal, he has spent more than two decades helping build and strengthen Internet connectivity, interconnection, and technical communities across the Asia-Pacific region.
He played a central role in the early development of Nepal’s Internet ecosystem and became widely recognised for championing local traffic exchange, operational best practices, and community-driven Internet development. Beyond Nepal, his work has influenced network operators, Internet exchanges, research and education networks, and technical communities throughout South Asia and the broader Asia-Pacific region.
Alongside his professional leadership roles in global Internet and content delivery networks, Gaurab has remained deeply committed to volunteer-driven Internet community development, technical training, and multistakeholder collaboration.
Contribution to the Internet
Gaurab Raj Upadhaya was a founder of the Nepal Internet Exchange (NPIX), established in 2002 as Nepal’s first Internet Exchange Point and the first IXP in the South Asian region. At a time when local Internet traffic was unnecessarily traversing expensive international links, he championed the idea that local traffic should remain local, improving performance while reducing costs.
He also founded the South Asian Network Operators Group (SANOG) in 2003, creating one of the region’s most important technical community platforms. SANOG has trained hundreds of network engineers and provided a collaborative environment for operators, engineers, researchers, and policymakers across South Asia.
Beyond NPIX and SANOG, Gaurab has served in numerous leadership positions within the Asia-Pacific Internet community, including APNIC Executive Council Chair, APNIC Policy SIG Chair, APNIC IX-SIG Chair, APRICOT Program Committee Chair, and leadership roles within APIA and other regional technical organisations.
His work has helped advance Internet interconnection, routing best practices, Internet Exchange Point development, IPv6 adoption, operational capacity building, and technical collaboration across the region.
Community Impact
Beyond technical infrastructure, Gaurab has dedicated significant effort to building communities of practice across the Asia-Pacific region. Through workshops, tutorials, conferences, and mentorship activities, he has helped develop generations of network engineers and Internet operators.
His contributions extend beyond Nepal, supporting the establishment and growth of regional technical forums, Internet exchanges, and network operator groups throughout South Asia and neighbouring regions. His emphasis on collaboration, knowledge sharing, and volunteerism has helped strengthen the resilience and capability of Internet communities across developing economies.
Many Internet professionals across the region trace their early exposure to peering, routing, network operations, and Internet governance discussions to platforms and initiatives that Gaurab helped establish or support.
Legacy and Influence
Gaurab Raj Upadhaya’s legacy can be seen in the continued success of Nepal Internet Exchange (NPIX), the sustained growth of SANOG, and the broader culture of collaboration that now exists among Internet operators across South Asia.
His work demonstrated that developing Internet infrastructure requires not only technology, but also trust, community leadership, and long-term commitment. By helping establish institutions that continue to operate independently and benefit thousands of users and engineers, he created foundations that have outlasted individual projects and organisations.
His influence continues through the technical communities, Internet exchanges, and operational networks that have grown from the initiatives he helped pioneer.
