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TECHNOLOGY

Sabeer Bhatia: The Bangalore Schoolboy Who Sold Hotmail for $400 Million

St Joseph's in Bangalore, then Caltech, Stanford, Apple, and a free email service that changed the internet.

QUICK ANSWER

  • Sabeer Bhatia co-founded Hotmail, one of the first free web email services, with Jack Smith in 1995.
  • Born in Chandigarh in 1968, he was raised in Bangalore and studied at St Joseph's Boys' High School and St Joseph's Pre-University College.
  • Microsoft bought Hotmail at the end of 1997 for about 400 million dollars.
Tariq Sallam, founder of The City 24/7 Tariq Sallam September 24, 2026 • 3 min read • Updated October 17, 2026
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A 1990s desk with a beige CRT monitor showing an envelope icon, a modem with green lights, floppy disks and a mug, with palm trees and a city skyline at dusk outside

Sabeer Bhatia studied at St Joseph's Boys' High School, Bengaluru.

“Sabeer Bhatia was born in Chandigarh, India, on December 30, 1968, and raised in Bangalore.”

• LCR Capital, immigrant profile

Sabeer Bhatia is an Indian American entrepreneur who co-founded Hotmail, one of the first free web email services. Born in Chandigarh in 1968, he was raised in Bangalore and studied at St Joseph's Boys' High School and St Joseph's Pre-University College before going to BITS Pilani, Caltech and Stanford. Microsoft bought Hotmail at the end of 1997 for around 400 million dollars.

Quick correction to our own master sheet: it had him at Bishop Cotton. The record says St Joseph's. Sorry, Cottonians. This profile sticks to the documented facts.

Quick Information

A St Joseph's schoolboy grew up, moved to California, and gave half the world its first email address.

Born
30 December 1968, Chandigarh
Raised
Bangalore
School
St Joseph's Boys' High School, Bengaluru
Pre-university
St Joseph's Pre-University College
Higher studies
BITS Pilani; Caltech; Stanford
Before Hotmail
Apple; Firepower Systems
Founded
Hotmail, 1995, with Jack Smith
Sold
To Microsoft, end of 1997, about $400 million

Who Is Sabeer Bhatia?

Sabeer Bhatia is the co-founder of Hotmail, the web-based email service he launched with Jack Smith in 1995. His father, Baldev Bhatia, was an Indian Army officer, and his mother, Daman, worked at the Central Bank of India.

Did Sabeer Bhatia Go to School in Bangalore?

Yes. After The Bishop's School in Pune, he studied at St Joseph's Boys' High School and St Joseph's Pre-University College in Bengaluru.

Where Did Sabeer Bhatia Study After Bangalore?

He joined BITS Pilani in 1985, transferred to Caltech after two years, graduated in electrical engineering in 1989, and then took a master's in electrical engineering at Stanford.

How Did Hotmail Start?

Hotmail started in 1995, when he and Jack Smith, a colleague from Apple, set out to build email you could reach from any web browser. He had left a PhD in 1992 to join Apple as a systems integrator and later worked at Firepower Systems.

  • 1985 BITS Pilani
  • 1989 Caltech degree
  • 1992 Joins Apple
  • 1995 Hotmail founded
  • 1997 Sold to Microsoft

How Much Did Microsoft Pay for Hotmail?

Microsoft bought Hotmail at the end of 1997 for about 400 million dollars.

A LESSER-KNOWN FACT

Our own master sheet listed him at Bishop Cotton Boys' School. Every source I checked places him at St Joseph's.

Why Does Sabeer Bhatia Belong in People of Bangalore?

THEIR BANGALORE CONNECTION

He was raised in Bangalore and did his schooling and pre-university at St Joseph's in the city before leaving for BITS Pilani and the US.

FAQs

Who is Sabeer Bhatia?

The Indian American entrepreneur who co-founded Hotmail.

Did Sabeer Bhatia grow up in Bangalore?

Yes. He was born in Chandigarh and raised in Bangalore.

Which school did Sabeer Bhatia attend in Bangalore?

St Joseph's Boys' High School and St Joseph's Pre-University College.

Who co-founded Hotmail?

Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith, in 1995.

How much did Microsoft pay for Hotmail?

About 400 million dollars, at the end of 1997.

Were You at St Joseph's in the 1980s?

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Same city, new stories, always.

Tariq Sallam, founder of The City 24/7

Tariq Sallam

FOUNDER, THE CITY 24/7

placeBangalore calendar_monthSince 1991 groupsPeople. Places. Possibilities.

Tariq Sallam is the founder of The City 24/7, a platform dedicated to celebrating everything Bangalore. Having lived in the city since 1991, he has witnessed its remarkable journey from a laid-back Garden City to one of India’s most dynamic and innovative cities.

Passionate about its people, businesses, neighbourhoods, food, culture and hidden gems, Tariq believes every corner of Bangalore has a story worth telling. When he’s not writing or interviewing inspiring Bangaloreans, you’ll find him exploring the city. And through The City 24/7, he invites you to discover Bangalore with him, one story at a time.

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