21 Indian cos apply for domain names priced over Rs 1 cr each

Leading corporate houses like Reliance Industries, Airtel and State Bank of India have applied to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann).for "top-level domains" such as .Indians, .RIL, .Bharti, .SBI to replace the traditional .com, .net and the other usual suffixes on their website addresses.

Icann had in January invited applications from companies, organisations and individuals to buy specific words that will replace the present top level domain names in practice for USD 185,000 (over Rs 1 crore) Companies applying for the generic top level domain (gTLD) have to provide bank guarantees of $2,50,000 (Rs 1.38 crore).

SBI and Infosys each have also applied for two such names. Financial service firm HDFC and it sister concern HDFC Bank, conglomerate Tata Sons and its subsidiary Tata Motors are also among applicants.

Broadcasting firm Star India, pharmaceutical company Dabur and Lupin, financial services company Shriram Capital,Automobile firm TVS have applied for one gTLD. IT firms Nameshop, Infibeam Incorporation and DotPing have also applied for gTLD.

However, these firms will have to wait till January 2013while ICANN, evaluates assigning of these gTLDs to applicants. ICANN has also invited comments within 60 days from interested people that will be considered by an evaluation panel.

People having objections to these names applied have to file a formal objection to any of the applications received within approximately seven months.

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