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GoYogi, Google Form Alliance to Link Over 1 Billion Indians Worldwide

Edgy new Internet portal for Indians joins forces with popular search engine to create global information resource for Indian community

FREMONT, Calif. – April 11, 2000 – GoYogi.com, an innovative, consumer-oriented portal targeting the global Indian community of more than 1 billion people, today announced it has formed a strategic alliance with Google, one of the world’s most popular search engines. The agreement marks the first major development in GoYogi’s effort to grow its customized information resource tailored specifically for Indians around the world.

GoYogi management said that the anticipated tremendous growth of Internet use among Indians and Indo-Americans has created a crucial need for a quick and efficient resource that links Indians worldwide. According to an October 1999 report by Goldman Sachs, the number of Internet users in India is expected to grow from 900,000 to more than 70 million by 2003. Furthermore, about 40 percent of the more than 21 million non-resident Indians are already online.

The alliance with Google, in providing users with a powerful Web search tool, is one of the many features that sets GoYogi.com apart from other services. Besides content such as real-time Bombay Stock Exchange quotes, worldwide cricket coverage, and comprehensive news on India and global events through premier news sources such as Reuters, AP, AFP, and UNI, GoYogi .com:

  • Contains the world’s largest human built directory of Indian-related content
  • Uses the latest caching and serving technology for quick and efficient delivery of information despite the limited bandwidth available in India
  • Features Chandamama, the most popular Indian children’s magazine
  • Provides personalized Vedic astrology reports
  • Offers free photo scanning services on its matrimonial channel

Google officials said this is a significant alliance for them not only to extend their brand amongst Indians but also to reinforce the mutual philosophy they share with GoYogi – one in which they provide an exciting new meeting ground for a powerful community in the global economy.

"Google welcomes this opportunity to provide the easiest and fastest search experience for the millions of people using GoYogi for the best in Indian-related content," said Omid Kordestani, Google’s Vice President of Business Development & Sales.

Through this agreement, Google will provide Web search engine capabilities on the GoYogi site and be involved in cross-promotional and co-marketing opportunities.

"This is not your Mom and Pop’s portal," says Venkat Ganesan, CEO of GoYogi. "The Indian community is a strong force whose impact transcends geographical boundaries. At GoYogi.com, we want to offer a new dimension to our community by providing an online world that captures the spirit of our homeland. We also aim to provide a resource for Indians so that whether they live in San Jose or Mumbai, they can stay in touch with their culture and each other."

About Google

Google exists to provide the world’s best Internet search experience. Google accomplishes this for millions of users daily by delivering a powerful, fast and easy way to find the most relevant information available. Google’s technological innovations have powered the company to numerous awards, including "Best Search Engine on the Internet" from Yahoo! Internet Life; "Top Ten Best Cybertech of 1999" by Time Magazine; "Technical Excellence Award" from PC Magazine; and "Best Search Engine" by The Net.

Google offers free search services through its own destination web site at www.google.com, as well as co-branded search solutions for information content and portal developers including AOL/Netscape, Redhat.com and Washingtonpost.com. A privately held company based in Mountain View, California, Google was founded by Stanford doctoral students Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 1998. Investors include Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Sequoia Capital, and partners John Doerr and Michael Moritz serve on the Google board with Ram Shriram, former executive at Amazon.com and Netscape. For more information, please visit www.google.com.

About GoYogi Inc.

GoYogi was founded in 1999 by Venkat Ganesan and Afam Agbodike, with the primary objective of building the most comprehensive, consumer-oriented portal for Indians worldwide, focusing on content, communications, community and commerce. GoYogi’s management team, investors and advisors comprise individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences, including The Go Network, Excite@Home and AT&T. Their goal is to integrate technology and content from highly reputed sources into a one-stop destination for the global Indian community. GoYogi has corporate offices in Fremont, California, with an expanding editorial, web development and engineering team throughout India, including Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, and Pune.

CONTACT:

The Hoffman Agency
Karin Gilles, 408/975-3038
kgilles@hoffman.com
Elizabeth Mousourakis, 408/975-3028
emousourakis@hoffman.com

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