The man who bought Google.com for just $12—what he did next will surprise you...

🌙 A Late Night Surprise

This story begins late at night, when most people are winding down, brushing their teeth, or scrolling through their phones before sleep.
But not Sanmay Ved.

Sanmay, a former Google employee from Mandvi, a small town in Gujarat, India, was the kind of person who asked questions others didn’t. He loved poking around online to see how things worked—clicking links, testing tools, and learning just for fun.

One evening in 2015, Sanmay found himself exploring Google Domains — a site where people buy names for websites like myartclub.com or superrobots.org.

Just for fun, he typed in: google.com

The name of the most visited website on the planet.

What he saw next made his heart skip a beat.

💡 The Domain Was Available.

That’s like finding the keys to a space rocket in your backyard—or seeing the Eiffel Tower listed online for pocket change. It just… doesn’t happen.

Still curious, he clicked “Buy.”
Then he clicked “Checkout.”

And… It worked.

💳 His credit card was charged.
📨 He got a confirmation email.
✅ A green check mark appeared.

👨‍💻 Owner of Google for a minute

For a few astonishing minutes, Sanmay became the official owner of Google.com.

• He began receiving sensitive emails—ones only the real domain owner gets.

• His Google Search Console dashboard updated with full admin access.

For a moment, he held the keys to the most powerful website in the world.

🏆 The Reward No One Saw Coming

Sanmay quickly reported the glitch to Google’s Security Team. They were stunned—how could such a giant mistake slip through? But more than that, they were grateful.
They immediately reversed the domain transfer (after all, Google Domains is owned by… well, Google).

As a thank-you, Google offered Sanmay a reward:
$6,006.13
(Hint: look closely—it spells “Google”!)

But what Sanmay did next truly showed the world what kind of person he was.
He replied simply:

He asked Google to donate the entire amount to The Art of Living Foundation, a charity that runs over 400 free schools across 18 states in India. These schools provide education to more than 39,000 children—many from tribal villages, slums, and rural areas where poverty and child labor are heartbreakingly common.

These children don’t just get books and blackboards—they get hope.

Inspired by Sanmay’s selflessness, Google doubled the donation, helping even more children get access to a future they might never have dreamed of.

Sanmay’s act became more than just a tech story—it became a story about kindness, honesty, and the power of one good decision to change many lives.

🌍 From a Tiny Town to a Big Impact

Sanmay didn’t come from a big city or a fancy tech background. He came from Mandvi—a small, quiet town.
He didn’t have superpowers or a million-dollar startup.
What he had was curiosity.
And in just one moment, that curiosity turned into a story of honesty, kindness, and global impact.

He once joked:
“Maybe some divine force wanted me to own Google.com for a minute… just because I loved it so much!”

🎁 Bonus Resources

• 🌐In 2002 Even Microsoft forgot to renew it’s UK domain name

• 📺How does internet works

• 💻Try yourself search for a domain (try jigyasa.fun in the search bar)