'Internet Guru' Vijay Mukhi dead

Internet guru Vijay Mukhi passed away following a heart attack at his home in Mumbai on Tuesday night.

An engineer from Mumbai's premier Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute, he began his own computer training institute in 1989, when the computer revolution was merely starting in India.

"Sad to inform that my mentor, my friend and a great human being Vijay Mukhi, a great evangelist of all things digital, widely regarded as the 'Internet Guru' and a friend for some thirty years passed away late last (Tuesday) night," his friend Rajiv Vaishnav tweeted.

"Just heard this horrible news about my friend Vijay Mukhi. RIP. @vijaymukhi712," veteran media analyst Pradyuman Maheshwari tweeted.

"Sad news. Vijay Mukhi, fondly known as 'Internet Guru', passed away due to a heart attack last night at his residence. For me, he was the inspiration to master C & C++ programming in the 90s. Rest in Peace," said advocate Prashant Mali.

Mukhi was closely associated with late actor Shammi Kapoor, who was one of the first internet users in India.

An author of over 80 books, a lead developer for an e-security product and the president of the Foundation of Information Security and Technology, he has co-chaired efforts by the Mumbai Police and Nasscom to institute cyber security.

He also chaired the IT Committee at  the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry and is a co-founder of the Internet Users Community of India.