(This is part one of a four-part 'September' series that revisits significant historical events or policies and how the lessons learned from them continue to be of relevance in present-day politics and society.)
This will perhaps be the only column in the year-long "History Matters” series where the authors have picked up an event from a place 12,341 kilometres away from Delhi. This month in 1998, two "nerds” from Stanford University formally launched 'Google'. The authors have not picked this event because an Indian origin Sundar Pichai heads it. That’s the least of the reasons.
In any case, so many professionals of Indian origin are CEOs of American multinationals that it is no longer noteworthy news. The reason is the profound impact Google has had on India in the 25 years of its existence.
No doubt Google has changed almost every country in the world. But it has played a particularly significant role in the internet and digital revolution in India.