KATHMANDU, JULY 27 Internet pioneers from five South Asian countries were honoured in Kathmandu on Sunday for their contributions to expanding internet access and commercial internet services across the region. The recognition came during the opening of the 44th South Asian Network Operators Group (SANOG) conference, a three-day regional gathering of internet professionals, network operators and technology experts. The Internet Enablers Awards were presented to Dilip Agrawal (Nepal), Neeraj Sonker and Suchit Nanda (India), Tariq Mustafa (Pakistan), Sumon Ahmed Sabir (Bangladesh) and Jichen Thinley (Bhutan). According to Internet Enablers, the recipients were recognised for their pioneering role in bringing internet access to the public and laying the foundations for commercial internet services long before the internet became mainstream. The organisation had previously honoured Nepal's Gaurav Raj Upadhyaya-founder of SANOG-as an Asia-Pacific internet pioneer. Nepal's award recipient, Dilip Agrawal, founded internet service provider WorldLink in 1995 with a single personal computer and a modem. Under his leadership, the company grew into Nepal's largest internet service provider, expanding from dial-up connections to one of the country's largest fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) networks and extending broadband services to remote regions, including Karnali. Among the other recipients, Neeraj Sonker was recognised for helping launch India's first commercial internet service through VSNL in 1995, while Suchit Nanda introduced thousands of users to online communication through Bulletin Board Systems before commercial internet became available in India. Bangladesh's Sumon Ahmed Sabir was honoured for more than three decades of contributions to internet development, including his role in the growth of BDCOM, while Bhutan's Jichen Thinley was recognised for his contributions to the country's early internet infrastructure and expansion of GSM mobile networks. Internet Enablers said the awards aim to recognise engineers, educators, network operators and technology leaders whose work helped build the digital infrastructure that underpins modern communication, education, healthcare and economic development across the Asia-Pacific region.