Airtel founder Mittal receives GSMA Lifetime Achievement Award
Sunil Bharti Mittal, who started Bharti Airtel and turned it into a global telecom giant, just received the GSMA Lifetime Achievement Award at Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona.
The award was presented in the presence of Spain's King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for his huge impact on connecting people and making digital access easier, especially in emerging markets.
Mittal's journey from 1 city to over 500 million users
Mittal launched cellular services in Delhi with just one Indian city—now it reaches over 500 million users across India and Africa, making it one of the world's top three telecom operators.
He also led GSMA as chairman (2017-18) and picked up its Chairman's Award twice before.
Other achievements and awards of Mittal
Besides telecom, Mittal co-chairs Eutelsat and holds major awards like India's Padma Bhushan, a Harvard Business School honor, and an Honorary KBE.
The GSMA Lifetime Achievement is reserved for leaders who truly shape how the world connects.