The Economist honors Sam Pitroda

Category: General | 1 Comment | Posted on November 16, 2006

Sam Pitroda, chairman of India’s National Knowledge Commission has been honored by the presitigious British weekly The Economist for pioneering India’s communications revolution.

“In 1987 Mr Pitroda was asked by Rajiv Gandhi, the Indian prime minister, to help democratise access to telecommunications. His response was to deploy instantly-recognisable yellow telephone kiosks in every town and village. In the process, he helped to release the Indian telecoms industry from state control and opened it up to dozens of private companies, paving the way for India’s telecoms boom. Through World-Tel, he now promotes similar policies in other parts of the developing world,” the magazine said.

Here’s what Dr. Pitroda said after the award:

“It is gratfying that over two decades after we began the process of telecom overhaul in India its results have become so pervasive. What I find particularly satisfying that during that phase I was able to tap into the youthful energies of India,”

Thank you Dr. Pitroda.

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