Biography
Neeraj Sonker is one of the pioneers of India’s public Internet, with a career spanning more than three decades in telecommunications, Internet infrastructure, and technology leadership. Combining deep technical expertise with strategic leadership, he has played a significant role in the planning, deployment, and operation of IP networks, Internet gateways, Metro Ethernet, MPLS, transport networks, broadband services, and next-generation telecommunications infrastructure.
His career has been closely intertwined with the evolution of India’s Internet—from the launch of the country’s first public Internet service to the rapid expansion of national and international IP infrastructure. Throughout this journey, he has remained committed to advancing reliable connectivity, developing operational excellence, and supporting the growth of India’s digital ecosystem.
In recognition of his lifelong contributions to the development of India’s Internet, Neeraj Sonker was honoured as one of the inaugural recipients of the Internet Enabler Award in 2026.
Contribution to the Internet
Neeraj’s most significant contribution came during one of the defining moments in India’s digital history—the launch of the Gateway Internet Access Service (GIAS) by Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL) on 15 August 1995. As a member of the core engineering team responsible for the deployment of the service, he helped design, implement, and operate the technical infrastructure that introduced commercial Internet access to the Indian public.
Working alongside visionary leaders including B.K. Syngal and Amitabh Kumar, and collaborating with fellow Internet pioneers such as Suchit Nanda and Sharad Sanghi, Neeraj played a central role in solving the complex engineering challenges associated with building India’s first public Internet gateways. His work included developing international gateway infrastructure, configuring early terminal servers, integrating network services, and ensuring that the country’s first commercial Internet platform could scale to meet rapidly growing demand.
Following the successful launch of GIAS, Neeraj continued to lead the evolution of Internet infrastructure in India. Over the following decades, he contributed to the planning, deployment, and operation of large-scale IP backbones, MPLS networks, Metro Ethernet, broadband services, SD-WAN platforms, transport networks, OSS/BSS systems, and workforce automation solutions. His work supported the transformation of India’s telecommunications infrastructure from a small dial-up Internet service into one of the world’s largest and most sophisticated digital ecosystems.
Beyond network deployment, Neeraj has consistently focused on delivering high-quality customer experiences by aligning technology strategy with business objectives. His leadership has combined engineering excellence with operational discipline, helping organisations successfully introduce new technologies while maintaining resilient and reliable services for customers across India.
Community Impact
Throughout his career, Neeraj has actively supported the growth of India’s Internet ecosystem beyond the networks themselves. He has worked closely with Internet service providers, technology partners, standards bodies, and industry organisations to strengthen technical collaboration and encourage the adoption of emerging technologies.
His service on the Board of Directors of the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) and his engagement with the Internet Service Providers Association of India (ISPAI) have contributed to the development of a stronger and more resilient national Internet ecosystem. Through these roles, he has supported initiatives that improve Internet exchange, enhance network efficiency, and strengthen cooperation across the telecommunications sector.
Equally important has been his commitment to preserving the history of India’s Internet. Through a series of articles published around the anniversary of the launch of GIAS, Neeraj has carefully documented the technical achievements, challenges, and—most importantly—the people who made India’s Internet possible. Rather than focusing solely on technology, he has consistently highlighted the collective efforts of engineers, managers, policymakers, vendors, and entrepreneurs whose contributions laid the foundations of India’s digital transformation. His work serves as an important historical record for future generations of Internet engineers and practitioners.
Legacy and Influence
Neeraj Sonker’s career reflects the remarkable evolution of India’s Internet—from the country’s first commercial dial-up connections to today’s nationwide high-speed digital infrastructure. His contributions span the complete lifecycle of Internet development, including network architecture, engineering, operations, customer services, technology strategy, and infrastructure modernisation.
Perhaps equally important is his dedication to recognising the collaborative nature of Internet development. Through his writings and public reflections, he has ensured that the stories of the many individuals who worked behind the scenes to build India’s Internet are preserved as part of the country’s technical history. His belief that the Internet was built through the collective efforts of countless engineers and innovators closely aligns with the vision of the Internet Enablers initiative.
As one of the engineers who helped bring public Internet access to India and who continued to shape its growth over the following decades, Neeraj Sonker’s work has had a lasting impact on the country’s digital transformation. His legacy is reflected not only in the infrastructure that connects millions of people today, but also in the recognition that preserving the history of those who built the Internet is as important as building the networks themselves.
