After Free Basics rejection, Facebook's India Head Kirthiga Reddy steps down

In an announcement made ironically on Facebook, the social networking site's India head, Kirthiga Reddy, has said she is stepping down and plans to return to the US where she has "begun to explore new opportunities at back at Menlo Park" in California.

Her announcement comes at the end of a week which began with a huge setback to the social network giant with India banning internet providers from charging users different rates for different sorts of content.

The decision means that Facebook's free internet program, Free Basics, has been rejected here. Facebook subsequently shut down Free Basics in India.

Ms Reddy, Facebook's first employee in India, said her family's intent was always to return to the US and her children's schooling makes this the right time to head back.

She said it will be "business as-usual over the next 6-12 months" and she will help find a successor over the period."

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg had championed Free Basics which he said would deliver internet services to lakhs of rural Indians. The scheme offered pared-down internet access to Facebook messaging services and content from Facebook's partners at no charge.

Image credit: Indiatimes