First I heard of electronic mail some times in eighties. Most sophisticate academic Institute like Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata had the facility. While reading your article I recall my first day of internet use at United State Information Center, Kolkata way back in 1995. At that time the facility was available for staff only. One day on special consideration I was allowed to surf. Probably in the next year British Council Library Kolkata open up with the surfing facility for the visitors at their pavilion in the Kolkata International Book Fair. That was first surfing facility on public domain.