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BSNL awards over 200 million euro contract to Nokia
MUMBAI: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has chosen Nokia to expand its GSM/EDGE and GPRS network in North India in a deal valued at over 200 million euro.
Nokia will deploy four million lines across towns, cities, villages and all major state and national highways in the States of Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Uttaranchal, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh (both east and west circles), Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan.
As a part of the agreement that can be extended further, Nokia will supply both core and GSM/EDGE and GPRS radio network equipment, including Base Station Subsystems, Switching Subsystems, Intelligent Network, GPRS Core Network, Short Message Service System, Multimedia Messaging center expansion and Nokia Download Solution. Nokia 5140 handsets are also included.
“BSNL’s vision is to be India’s largest cellular operator with a truly national network footprint providing world class services to consumers across the country. The recent tender for network expansion is testimony of our commitment to bring affordable access, to Indians anywhere, anytime across the country,” said BSNL chairman and managing director A K Sinha.
“To achieve this vision, BSNL has chosen Nokia to expand its network by four million lines in North India as Nokia has the requisite experience and expertise in building high quality networks,” said BSNL director (commercial and marketing) N K Mangla.
“This tender for a GSM turnkey cellular project is one of the largest projects, which will be installed and rolled-out just in nine months, in the world,” said S D Saxena, director (finance).
“Nokia is proud to collaborate with BSNL, India’s leading telecommunications company, on this significant GSM network expansion exercise,” said Nokia country head, India and South Asia Networks Ashish Chowdhary. “This deployment will enable BSNL to continue offering world-class network quality and services to its end consumers,” he added.
“This deal also underscores Nokia’s commitment to India, fulfilling our promise to bring high-quality equipment and advanced services to India’s mobile world,” said Chowdhary. “With this deal, Nokia becomes an equipment supplier to all five leading GSM operators in India.”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
