ICANN announces digital policy expert Jaijit Bhattacharya as ccNSO Council member

Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has announced Dr Jaijit Bhattacharya, President C-DEP.org as Country Code Names Supporting Organisation (ccNSO) Council member, representing Asia, Australia and 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 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, according to a press release.

“I am very thankful to the ICANN and the government of India for supporting my candidature for this prestigious position which not only brings in pride to the country but very significantly impacts how people across the world communicate, access information, work and live. It is therefore puts tremendous responsibility to participate and contribute in shaping the future of internet,” Bhattacharya said.

Dr Bhattacharya is a noted technology policy expert and was earlier the Head of the Centre for 4th Industrial Revolution of World Economic Forum at India. He is president and founder of Centre for Digital Economy Policy Research and author of multiple books on e-Governance. His first book was released by the former President of India, Dr APJ 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 people of India and the technological sovereignty of the nation, the release said.