From 1995's 1st call to 6G: India's cellphone journey

Hindustan Times

20 hours ago

Marking 30 years of mobile telephones in India, a panel discussion and exhibition was organised by multiple trade and retail organisations. Union Minister of communications Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurated the exhibition and said, 'We followed the world in 4G, we marched with the world in 5G, but India will lead the world in 6G.' Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia at the mobile conclave in New Delhi on Thursday. (Arvind Yadav/HT PHOTO)
The exhibition showcased many different mobile handsets which were used in India since 1995, ranging from bulky antenna phones to the thin smartphones common today.
The event also highlighted the first call made in India, on July 31 1995, between Union telecom minister Sukh Ram in Delhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu in Kolkata. Recalling the moment, Scindia said, 'In 1995, when the first phone call went from Sanchar Bhawan, and from that beginning to today, the seed sown by the first call is today not within the country but on the world stage. We have emerged in the form of the world's second largest telecom market, with 120 crore consumers.'
Scindia also praised the many developments in the field of telecommunications and emphasised how mobile technology has embedded in everyone's daily life. 'Today, this digital system has fused with our lives,' he said.
Stating that earlier citizens would have to face corruption, the minister praised the Unified Payments Interface used to transfer money, and said, 'With the digital UPI network, the money reaches your bank account directly, and you receive a message on your phone.'
The event was jointly organised by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), the All India Mobile Retailers Association (AIMRA), and the Organised Retail Association (ORA).
Promising extended connectivity across the country, Scindia said, 'In the coming days, an adivasi in Chhattisgarh, a resident living on the coast of Gujarat or hills, will be able to conduct their business with the entire world using their phones. The Indian government will provide this facility in every village of the country.'
Praveen Khandelwal, Member of Parliament from Chandni Chowk and secretary general of CAIT, praised former Prime Minister Atal Bihar Vajpayee,during whose tenure the telecom sector was liberalised . 'From voice to value, India's mobile journey is a global case study. What began with a phone call in 1995 is now powering a trillion-dollar digital economy,' he said.
A panel discussion was held on 'The Journey of Mobile Telephony in India: Past, Present & Future', with leading voices in the telecom field, including national president of CAIT, former chairperson of National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention Neel Kamal, and CEO of Pine labs Kush Mehra. They spoke on topics ranging from digital payments and mobile internet to the potential of 6G and artificial intelligence.