Meet Yogen Dalal!
(The Indian Engineer Who Helped Build the Internet)
Working on the foundations of computer networking long before the internet became part of everyday life.
> Completed his Btech from IITB
> Pursued PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Stanford University
> And joined Vint Cerf’s research group as a graduate student in 1973
> He then became part of the team that published the 1974 specification of the Internet Transmission Control Program
> Worked alongside pioneers like Vint Cerf, Robert Kahn and Robert Metcalfe during the formative years of the internet
> Joined Xerox PARC in 1977 and contributed to Ethernet and Xerox Network Systems (XNS)
> Helped shape ideas that eventually led to the separation of TCP into TCP and IP
> Later joined Metaphor Computer Systems, one of Silicon Valley’s early computing startups
> Co-founded Claris, the Apple spin-off that developed software for the Macintosh ecosystem
> Went on to become a respected technology executive, investor and mentor in Silicon Valley
His work focused on computer networking, internetworking protocols and distributed systems.
At a time when computers largely operated independently, Yogen Dalal was among the engineers trying to solve a revolutionary problem:
How can computers across different networks communicate reliably with each other?
> The answers developed during that era eventually became the backbone of the modern internet.
> Beyond engineering, he became known for building collaborative teams
> And mentoring generations of technologists across Silicon Valley.
From Stanford labs to Xerox PARC and the birth of internet protocols, Yogen Dalal’s journey is a reminder that many of the architects of the digital world worked quietly behind the scenes while transforming how humanity connects.