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Did You Know Shammi Kapoor Was One Of The First Internet Users In India?
Shammi Kapoor was the founder and chairman of the Internet Users Community of India (IUCI).
Shammi Kapoor, regarded as one of the finest and most celebrated actors in Indian cinema, passed away on August 14, 2011. While he is widely remembered for his magnetic screen presence, remarkable acting, and energetic dance moves, few know that he was also a passionate tech enthusiast. The second of three sons of Prithviraj Kapoor, he was among the first Internet users in India.
The late actor was using the Internet even before it officially arrived in India in the 1990s. According to a report by MensXP, Shammi Kapoor had obtained a connection through Steve Jobs' Apple Inc. In his 50s at the time, the legendary actor began exploring the World Wide Web. In an interview, the Tumsa Nahi Dekha star shared, 'I discovered the Internet before you got Internet in India. You got it in 1995… VSNL. I took it up as a hobby. I am on Apple, and they gave us a website called eWorld."
He added, 'The British telecom gave us a line through VSNL, even though VSNL was not available at that time (1994). That was an eye-opener…something completely new. And by the time the Internet came to India, we were already the first marchers. Already sab kuch dekh liya tha (I had already seen everything)."
In the 1990s, Shammi Kapoor purchased an Apple Macintosh Classic desktop and applied for an international dial-up connection. One of his earliest Internet projects was a website dedicated to the Kapoor family tree, one of Bollywood's largest and most prominent film dynasties.
With the URL The Kapoor Family Website by Shammi Kapoor is still accessible today, retaining its original design created by the actor himself. It has not been redesigned or updated with the latest family information, but it continues to feature rare photographs of the Junglee star from film sets, along with details about the Kapoor family, starting from his father, Prithviraj Kapoor, to his nephew, Rishi Kapoor.
Shammi Kapoor Helped Establish Many Internet-Related Organisations
Moreover, he did not just create a website for his family tree, but also was the founder and chairman of the Internet Users Community of India (IUCI). The late actor also played a significant role in establishing organisations like the Ethical Hackers Association of India.
After retiring from films, Shammi Kapoor focused on computers and the Internet, telling people that they are yet to understand the potential of such advanced technology that would connect people from every nook and corner of the world. Throughout his life, the actor was a Mac person and had little knowledge of Microsoft computers. He had all the necessary gadgets and was also active on Facebook, Twitter and worked on his website.
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First Published:
August 13, 2025, 08:17 IST
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