The top-level domain (TLD) “.AGAKHAN” is not a generic domain such as the commonly used “.com”, “.org”, or the country-specific domain like “.us”, “.uk”. The “.AGAKHAN” is what’s known as a branded TLD – it is specific to an organization or a trademark. This form of TLD was introduced by ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) in 2012 to increase competition, innovation, and choice on the domain market.
The “.AGAKHAN” domain is associated with His Highness the Aga Khan, the 49th hereditary Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims and a descendant of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
There is significant use of such a TLD, predominantly for institutional purposes. For example, some organizations related to the Aga Khan could use such a domain to ensure their authenticity, reinforcing the connection between the organization and its leader. The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), which is a group of private development agencies working to empower communities and individuals to improve living conditions and opportunities in the poorest and most marginalized parts of the world, could use this domain to distinguish itself from any other organizations.
In 2013, ICANN opened up the possibility for companies and organizations to apply for their brand to become a TLD. As a result, brands like .google, .amazon, or .bmw, have been seeing use. However, it’s not common for individuals, even individuals of as substantial global relevance as the Aga Khan, to have their name turned into a TLD.
According to the data sourced from the ICANN’s list of delegated strings, the “.AGAKHAN” TLD has indeed been delegated, meaning it has passed all of ICANN’s checks and balances and is available for organizations affiliated with the Aga Khan to use. However, as of the time of writing, there do not appear to be any websites in operation using this TLD.
In conclusion, while the “.AGAKHAN” TLD exists, it is not widely used, reflecting the relatively niche audience and purpose of such a branded TLD. Nevertheless, its mere existence signifies the importance of the Aga Khan and his developmental network on a global scale; indicating that having a dedicated TLD can serve as a digital seal of authenticity, reinforcing the connection between the domain owner and the respective communities.
Sources:
1. ICANN – the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
2. ICANN’s list of delegated strings
3. Akdn.org – Aga Khan Development Network.
