Founded by Ajit Balakrishnan in 1996, it was the first Indian website to become a mainstream news media organization.

[7] At the time of its founding, internet access had only been available in India for five months with a mere 18,000 users, leaving Rediff.com as one of the earliest Indian web portals and email providers.

[9] Early products included the email service Rediffmail[10] and Rediff Shopping, an online marketplace selling electronics and peripherals.

[citation needed] In 2001, Rediff.com was alleged to be in violation of the Securities Act of 1933 for filing a materially false prospectus in relation to an IPO of its American depositary shares.

[16] In April 2016, the company decided to delist from NASDAQ, citing the high cost of reporting requirements, given its financial condition.