Sunil Bharti Mittal receiving the GSMA Lifetime Achievement Award from Vivek Badrinath, Director General of the GSMA, at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.—Picture courtesy of Bharti Airtel
* A visionary in the telecom sector, Sunil Bharti Mittal has built Bharti Airtel into one of the world’s leading mobile operators, with operations across India and Africa, ranking among the top three globally and serving over half a billion customers
* I accept it not only as a personal milestone, but as a tribute to India’s telecom journey, the collective spirit of Bharti, and the rise of Indian telecom companies on the global stage
By Duncan Mlanjira
The GSMA, the association for global system for mobile communications, has conferred a rare Lifetime Achievement Award on Founder & chairperson of Bharti Enterprises, Sunil Bharti Mittal, recognising his role in reshaping the global telecommunications landscape and expanding connectivity across operators, governments, businesses and billions of consumers worldwide.
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A statement from Bharti Airtel — the global communications solutions provider with over 600 million customers in 15 countries across India and Africa — indicates that the honour, bestowed on only a handful of industry leaders in the GSMA’s history, recognises contributions that have left an enduring and defining mark on the global communications ecosystem.
The award was presented at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in the distinguished presence of His Majesty Felipe VI; Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez; President of Catalonia, Salvador Illa, along with global industry leaders.
“A visionary in the telecom sector, Sunil Bharti Mittal has built Bharti Airtel into one of the world’s leading mobile operators, with operations across India and Africa, ranking among the top three globally and serving over half a billion customers,” says the statement.
“He pioneered the expansion of mobile services across emerging markets and served as Chairman of the GSMA from 2017 to 2018, where he championed policies that encouraged investment and innovation while strengthening the industry’s commitment to connecting the unconnected and advancing digital inclusion.”
The statement adds that Bharti Mittal was previously honoured with the GSMA Chairman’s Award in 2008 and again in 2016 “for his outstanding contribution to the growth and development of the global mobile industry and was felicitated at Mobile World Congress in February 2019 in recognition of his Chairmanship”.
On receiving the award, Bharti Mittal said: “I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition and sincerely thank the GSMA for this award. I accept it not only as a personal milestone, but as a tribute to India’s telecom journey, the collective spirit of Bharti, and the rise of Indian telecom companies on the global stage.
“Equally, the award reflects the progress of an industry that has connected billions and belongs to the customers we serve, the teams who built our institutions, and the partners who believe in the transformative power of connectivity.
“Telecommunication is a force that expands opportunity, places essential services in the palm of every individual and unlocks human potential. Helping shape its evolution into a powerful accelerator of modern progress has been a privileged responsibility.
“As innovation accelerates, we will continue to work with our partners and stakeholders to ensure that growth advances equity and creates lasting opportunity for generations to come.”
This Lifetime Achievement Award, according to internet sites, is described as “a rare honour, bestowed only on select individuals whose leadership and innovation have left an enduring mark on the industry”.
Headquartered in India, Bharti Airtel also has its presence in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka through its associate entities and ranks amongst the top three mobile operators globally and its networks cover over two billion people.
Airtel is India’s largest integrated communications solutions provider and the second largest mobile operator in Africa. Its retail portfolio includes high-speed 4G/5G mobile, Wi-Fi (FTTH+ FWA) that promises speeds up to 1 Gbps with convergence across linear and on-demand entertainment, video streaming services, digital payments and financial services.
For enterprise customers, Airtel offers a gamut of solutions that includes secure connectivity, cloud and data centre services, cyber security, IoT, and cloud-based communication. Airtel’s digital arm – Xtelify, empowers telcos globally to leverage the power of AI, data and technology to accelerate their digital transformation and drive growth.
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Xtelify also offers Airtel Cloud in India enabling enterprises with a sovereign, telco-grade cloud platform that guarantees secure migration, effortless scaling, lower costs and no vendor lock-ins.
Within its diversified portfolio, Airtel also offers passive infrastructure services through its subsidiary Indus Tower Ltd.
In Africa, Airtel operates as a leading telecommunication service provider in 14 countries across sub-Saharan Africa.
Airtel Africa’s integrated offer provides national and international mobile voice and data services as well as mobile money services to 173.8 million customers.
The company’s strategy is focused on delivering a great customer experience across the entire footprint and increasing digital and financial inclusion to transform lives across Africa, in line with its corporate purpose.
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