India’s Digital Network Transformation

Q1. Could you start by giving us a brief overview of your professional background, particularly focusing on your expertise in the industry?

I started my career in the telecom industry at Lucent Technologies, now part of Nokia, where I worked on engineering tasks including fiber deployment, multiplexer installation, and TEC testing for government approvals during the Yoox Telecom rollout in Maharashtra. My experience spans both operator and vendor environments.

After Lucent, I joined Orange (which would later become Vodafone Idea). There, I designed Mumbai's network, expanding it from 70 cell sites to 3,000 within three years, during a period of rapid telecom growth in India.

At Motorola in Bangalore, I managed international projects across Russia, the Maldives, and CIS countries, focusing on network analysis, presales, and technology transition advisory. Key projects included auditing the MTS network in Moscow and designing a telecom network for the Maldives.

Returning to Mumbai, I joined NEC Nippon Electric Corporation to design the backhaul network for Tata’s GSM rollout. In 2011, I took on the role of Technical Director for a major Italian telecom equipment company, overseeing projects in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. These roles provided me with a comprehensive view of both Indian…