The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has announced Dr. Jaijit Bhattacharya, President of C-DEP.org, as a Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO) Council member, representing Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. ccNSO, operating under the aegis of ICANN, is a global policy-development body for global issues regarding country code top-level domains (ccTLD). ICANN is the global body that is responsible for running the Internet.
Dr. Bhattacharya has been given a two-year term and will take up the position during the ICANN81 AGM in Istanbul in November 2024. The members of ccNSO, which is ICANN’s policy development body for ccTLD (country code top-level domains) issues, are all country code top level domain operators from around the world.
“I am very thankful to the ICANN and the government of India for supporting my candidature for this prestigious position, which not only brings pride to the country but very significantly impacts how people across the world communicate, access information, work, and live. It therefore takes tremendous responsibility to participate and contribute to shaping the future of the internet,” Bhattacharya said.
Dr. Bhattacharya, A Noted Technology Policy Expert
Dr. Bhattacharya is a noted technology policy expert and was earlier the Head of the Centre for the 4th Industrial Revolution of the World Economic Forum at India. He is President and Founder of the Centre for Digital Economy Policy Research and the author of multiple books on e-Governance. His first book was released by the former President of India, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. He also has several research papers and patents in India and USA. Dr. Bhattacharya is also credited with coining the terms “Digital Colonization” and “Technological Sovereignty”.
This development also contributes to the Indian government’s relentless push to have a greater say and participation in global bodies that impact the nation and the geo-technical discussions. It brings India deep into the obscure technical discussions that have considerable bearing on the use of technology by the people of India and the technological sovereignty of the nation.