| I love Tver. My parents live in Tver. There are cute | | | | And we’d like to maintain that spirit of a small |
| neighborhoods in town. Not very good roads, but | | | | company and we want to work just like a small |
| where have you seen good roads in Russia? | | | | company.” So what is Bharti doing with the |
| Especially refreshing is the crisp pine air in a little | | | | tightening competition? “Today competitors |
| forest near Ordzhonikidze Street where we live. Tver | | | | may copy virtually anyone’s move. The only |
| is a typical quiet Russian provincial city. It is located a | | | | thing that you cannot copy is our spirit. You cannot |
| couple of hours by car from Moscow. Nowadays, its | | | | fake our passion. That’s why we win,” |
| old churches and the bank of the Volga River are the | | | | concluded Kohli with a smile. |
| only witnesses of Tver’s long and diverse | | | | At another neighboring Bharti building, Sanjay Kapoor, |
| history. What is interesting, though, is that Tver is | | | | President of Mobile Services, opened his secrets of |
| connected to India. | | | | winning mobile customers via very innovative |
| No, Air India doesn’t fly to Tver and Aeroflot | | | | approaches, be it a famous “Song |
| has not yet launched its first flight from the sleepy | | | | Catcher” or a new platform for CPs that allow |
| Tver airport to New Delhi. But back in the 15th | | | | the company to deliver better content for more |
| century one simple Russian merchant, Afanasy Nikitin, | | | | people. Yet behind all this lies Airtel’s people, or |
| ventured on a long trip from Tver to India passing | | | | in Kapoor’s words: “We take a lot of |
| the Black and Caspian Seas and crossing a number of | | | | pride in our people. And people want to come and |
| countries to reach the western shores of that | | | | work for us. Right from zonal to operational levels, I |
| fascinating and exotic land. He masterfully described | | | | think that the caliber of the people who work for us |
| his life in India for three years (1471 to 1474). His | | | | is great. And it is not about the money. People want |
| travel notes “Journey Beyond the Three | | | | to be associated with pioneering ideas. People are |
| Seas” became the first Russian report on | | | | empowered.” |
| actual life in old Indian kingdoms, a genuine account | | | | After this exposure to the world of the No. 1 Indian |
| of everyday life thousands of miles away from | | | | mobile operator, it was very important for me to |
| Russia… | | | | learn more about the conductor of this mobile |
| There are so many things that connect Russia and | | | | symphony – Indian Telecom Regulator (TRAI). |
| India. Nikitin’s travels in the 15th century were | | | | Soft spoken and very confident, TRAI’s |
| followed by Peter the Great’s mission in the | | | | Chairman Mr. Nripendra Misra reminded me of a true |
| 1700s. Then that ball went rolling all the way from | | | | scholar who really knows his stuff. With impeccable |
| philosophers like Tolstoy and Rerich to the first | | | | logic and tons of examples, I was immersed in a |
| cosmonaut Yury Gagarin’s famous tour of | | | | quick course of telecom liberalization, 3G and DTH. It |
| India and a wildly popular Soviet movie, | | | | was short and sweet and on very short notice too. |
| “Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears,” in | | | | A nice touch of the past was that Mr Misra actually |
| the 1970s. There was the saga called the USSR, long | | | | spent some time in my home town – |
| and interesting, starring Indira Gandhi, Lal Bahadur | | | | Tashkent, as a part of an Indian government |
| Shastri and Raj Kapoor, with festivals of Indian | | | | delegation. We are all connected after all! |
| movies in Russia and the launch of a joint space | | | | BSNL Managing Director, Mr. A.K. Sinha, met me in his |
| crew. And then came 1991: the breaking year for a | | | | office and gave me a comprehensive overview of |
| new Russia and also a powerful year for a new India. | | | | what his state-backed company has accomplished |
| Somehow and somewhere a strategic link between | | | | during these years. Most impressive for me was the |
| our two countries managed to come undone, and | | | | fact that it had become the No. 2 GSM operator, |
| losing momentum we began wandering in our own | | | | winning against strong competition from private |
| universes. Building a new democracy didn’t | | | | mobile operators. This charismatic man was filled with |
| come easily for either side. Almost two decades | | | | energy and a willingness to compete with anyone, be |
| have passed since then, and now these two | | | | it a private mobile operator or a foreign competitor. |
| different countries are on the global scene, both quite | | | | With a great pool of professionals BSNL was set to |
| confident and seeking greater prosperity for their | | | | remain a leader for years to come, said Sinha. The |
| people. Russia and India are now the part of a strong | | | | changes in the telecom industry were striking, he said. |
| BRIC built in into the world economy. Today our | | | | “Before people were standing in line to get a |
| outsourcing companies compete globally and make | | | | phone… I know because I’ve seen it |
| world-class partnerships; Lakshmi Mittal and Roman | | | | – people came to us and begged that they |
| Abramovich share the Forbes’ dining table; | | | | needed it, say, on medical grounds, etc. and now our |
| Indians take part in oil production projects in the | | | | people are begging them to buy a phone…so it |
| Russian Far East and Russians are building power | | | | is a reversal…” |
| plants in India. Still, the level of bilateral trade is | | | | These changes were no more apparent than in |
| miniscule compared to the two countries’ | | | | Mumbai. Mumbai looked like the cradle of mankind; |
| potential. | | | | with its diverse crowds of people in business suits, |
| One area where cooperation must prevail is the high | | | | turbans, homeless searching among the fresh leaves |
| tech sector. Both Russia and India annually | | | | of green salad, Bentleys of the rich, and screeching |
| demonstrate outstanding growth in the ICT industry | | | | and honking of taxis… What could possibly unite |
| of 25%+, far beyond the US and EU. | | | | this city of extremes, thought I? And suddenly the |
| Both Russian and Indian mobile sectors are bustling | | | | answer came from the open window of a worn-out |
| with a great vibrancy and deliver creative services. | | | | Volkswagen, where a local man was singing yet |
| Indian companies have truly become the outsourcing | | | | another popular Bollywood melody. Yes, Bollywood |
| yard of the world, and Russian IT businesses are | | | | brings about that youthful and inspirational vibrancy, |
| learning fast. Broadband is sweeping Internet into its | | | | helping people dream and dream big! And the fresh |
| gigabyted pockets and 3G is zipping around the | | | | proof of my thought was reflected in a cup of black |
| corner. Russian telecom holdings are knocking on | | | | aromatic coffee offered by Neeraj Roy, CEO of |
| India’s telecom doors announcing | | | | Hungama. Roy, a smart man in a crisp light blue shirt |
| multi-million-dollar investments, but to no avail – | | | | and sporting nicely cut grey hair, heads the mobile |
| the key to the Indian Telecom Makhal is just not | | | | content and marketing company Hungama Mobile |
| there! To understand better what’s happening | | | | that holds the exclusive rights to Bollywood content. |
| in the sector, GidaByte and ComNews decided to | | | | In just thirty minutes of our meeting in between |
| launch an exploratory trip to India to find out the | | | | constant calls of business partners and Bollywood |
| industry dynamics from the key Indian players. And | | | | stars, Neeraj confessed to me – Bollywood is |
| there I went in early March 2007. | | | | the killer-application in India – and he is so right! |
| Well, unlike Nikitin’s adventures, my first travel | | | | A helicopter descended at Reliance Communications, |
| to India didn’t last months, but quietly began in | | | | while we toured the company’s facilities, |
| the Hong Kong airport, where I flew to New Delhi via | | | | known as the Knowledge City. “There’s |
| AirIndia. In the plane I was seated with a very kind | | | | Mr. Anil Ambani,”pointed out Mrinal Sapre, |
| man who happened to be a member of the Jain | | | | Corporate Communications Officer at Reliance |
| religion. Amazingly, thanks to Mr. Jain, during our four | | | | Communications, while we were making our tour of |
| hour flight I found out a lot about various cultural and | | | | the company’s facilities. “Actually the |
| religious aspects of Indian life. No need for Lonely | | | | territory of the Dhirubai Ambani Knowledge City is |
| Planet! | | | | equal to that of the Vatican,”-- added Mrinal, |
| My story went on in a lovely bed & breakfast in | | | | smiling. When we entered Reliance’s control |
| a quiet New Delhi neighborhood. Constantly fed and | | | | centre, it instantly reminded me of the Russian Space |
| entertained by a hospitable couple, I felt at home | | | | Flight Control Center in Korolyov. The facility had |
| instantly and fell asleep some time after 2 a.m. The | | | | huge full scale monitors with a live record of the |
| next three days were a constant eye-opener for me | | | | operator’s activities around India. Unbelievable! |
| on Indian business and cultural life. I actually came to | | | | I stared and couldn’t finish my second coffee. |
| India to meet with the elite of the local telecom | | | | I truly saw the future of the Indian mobile world, |
| industry, but found out much more. On top of that, I | | | | Reliance World. |
| got a bug. Don’t worry, it’s not | | | | Mr. Mahesh Prasad, Reliance Communications, |
| infectious, it’s a bug of great interest in India. | | | | President, Applications, Solutions & Content |
| Mr. T.V. Ramachandran’s office was my first | | | | Group, told me that creativity and innovation were |
| stop. Mr. Ramachandran chairs the Cellular Operator | | | | real differentiators for Reliance. But again the |
| Association of India, and has been in the telecom | | | | customer was the focus of its attention, actually two |
| industry for quite a while. Proving his words that he | | | | groups of customers. Prasad called them |
| truly enjoys what he does, Mr. Ramachandran quickly | | | | “global Indians, or high end users, and aspiring |
| explained to me that GSM is the way to go, that | | | | Indians”. He went on to say that “global |
| India is ahead of China in terms of mobile growth and | | | | Indians are like you and me, they probably have seen |
| that the 3G era is around the corner, while voice will | | | | and used the best handsets and can afford the |
| still be the killer application in the years to come. And | | | | newest and the best. That’s what is |
| I even was able to squeeze a secret from TVR | | | | happening in Japan, the US, Europe, etc. These high |
| (that’s how he likes to be called): “Here | | | | end customers are fully expecting that Reliance will |
| is one more personal bet I am going to make, | | | | offer the best of the best technology and services. |
| Andrey. This year we will see 8-9 million new mobile | | | | And we provide that to them. Then in the group |
| subscribers every month. That is going to happen, I | | | | which I call the aspiring Indians, there are people who |
| think, and you know why? Because more operators | | | | like services based on value. They are gradually |
| are going to push into the rural areas due to the | | | | improving their lifestyle, spending patterns, |
| very innovative policy of the Indian Government to | | | | entertainment expenditures, etc.” With these |
| provide Universal Service Obligatory (USO) subsidy | | | | two groups in mind and valuable offers in hand, |
| support for shared wireless infrastructure in rural | | | | Reliance is well set to compete and win. |
| areas.” | | | | Finally at a cute Indian Café I met with |
| Beefed up by a great deal of information, I set my | | | | ContentSutra’s Editor Nikhil Pahwa, who is a |
| sails towards the leader of mobile world in India, | | | | true example of new social media, web 2.0 and |
| Bharti Airtel. Meeting with Manoj Kohli, Bharti | | | | beyond. Matter-of-factly Nikhil defined the state of |
| Airtel’s President, and Sanjay Kapoor, | | | | the mobile content sector in India, emphasizing the |
| Airtel’s President of Mobile Services, provided | | | | growing importance of web-media in India. |
| me with a wealth of data on the thriving mobile | | | | Apparently, ContentSutra, which is a part of |
| industry in India. Traveling through the New | | | | PaidContent media company, is growing at a fast |
| Delhi’s thick morning crowd to the Gurgaon | | | | tempo, with many new admirers visiting their site and |
| district, where Bharti’s headquartered, was a | | | | leaving comments. In fact, this is the face of young |
| hassle, but it’s worth it to hire an Indian | | | | India sharing their souls via WWW. And this young |
| Schumacher! The guy simply flew through the | | | | generation of Indians will be shaping the future of |
| swarms of tuk-tuks, cars, trucks, cows, policemen, | | | | India. After our meeting I realized that India is a |
| you name it! I even managed to complete my | | | | universe unto itself and to understand it better one |
| morning newspaper by sticking it firmly under my left | | | | must be present, one must feel the pulse of this |
| leg. What a day! But there you go, I reached Bharti | | | | sophisticated and rewarding world. |
| Airtel’s offices. | | | | Next year will be the Year of Russia in India, as |
| Brightly lit with the morning sun, Kohli’s office | | | | announced by the President Putin during his meeting |
| radiated energy. Smiling and confident, it seemed Mr. | | | | with Sonia Gandhi in St. Petersburg in 2005. And this |
| Manoj Kohli shared with me no less than | | | | once again symbolizes the great importance of the |
| Bharti’s DNA. And I could feel it in him. This | | | | strong and historic ties between our nations. This |
| man believed in what his company was doing, which | | | | message is very clear – let us move on to the |
| is always a key to success. The DNA is the | | | | next level of cooperation -- Russia-India 2.0. |
| entrepreneurial spirit instilled by the idea-man in | | | | These full interviews with leading Indian mobile |
| charge, Sunil Mittal. Kohli says that “from the | | | | operators will appear at: [ in GB's May issue. |
| Bharti company’s perspective, we are large, | | | | Andrey N. |
| but in the global mobile perspective we are still small. | | | | |