Sunil Mittal, Businessman
Businessman

Sunil Mittal

Born 23 October 1958 · Punjab

Founded Bharti Airtel, which became India's largest telecom company by subscriber base.

Sunil Bharti Mittal is an Indian billionaire industrialist and philanthropist. He is the founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises.

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A detail that
surprised us

“

Sunil Mittal began his empire with just ₹20,000 borrowed from his father to make crankshafts for bicycles in 1976.

The Story

1
In April 1976 in Ludhiana, an 18-year-old Sunil Mittal borrowed ₹20,000 from his father and launched a crankshaft manufacturing business for local bicycle makers, marking the start of his entrepreneurial path.
2
🌏 By 1981, Mittal had shifted from Punjab to Mumbai, importing thousands of Suzuki portable electric generators from Japan before the government abruptly banned their import, forcing him to pivot business strategies.
3In 1984, he introduced India’s first push-button phones under Bharti Telecom Limited, partnering with Siemens AG to replace bulky rotary phones, a move that radically modernized Indian telephony.
4📱 After winning a coveted mobile network license in Delhi in 1992, Mittal launched AirTel in 1995, which by the late 1990s became the first Indian telecom operator to surpass 2 million mobile subscribers.

🏅 Awards & Honours

—
Padma Bhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

“

In 1981, Mittal’s import business of Suzuki portable generators was abruptly halted when the Indian government banned generator imports, forcing him to pivot into telecom manufacturing.

🖼️

Through the Years

4 photographs from the archives
Sunil Bharti Mittal at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland (2007).
Sunil Bharti Mittal at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland (2007).
2007
Sunil Bharti Mittal during the 'Innovative India' session at the World Economic Forum in Davos (2008).
Sunil Bharti Mittal at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland (2013).
Sunil Mittal at the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh (2024).

🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Born in Ludhiana, Punjab
Sunil Bharti Mittal was born into an Agarwal family in Ludhiana, with a political lineage through his father Sat Pal Mittal.
1957
⚡
Career
Started first business at 18
Mittal launched a crankshaft manufacturing unit with ₹20,000 borrowed from his father in Ludhiana.
1976
⚡
Career
Launched push-button phones
Bharti Telecom Limited began assembling push-button phones in India with Siemens AG’s technology.
1984
⚡
Career
Won mobile license for Delhi
Mittal secured one of four licenses auctioned for mobile networks in India, partnering with Vivendi.
1992
⚡
Career
Launched AirTel cellular service
AirTel began operations in Delhi, marking Mittal’s entry into mobile services.
1995
🏅
Award
Received Padma Bhushan award
The Indian government awarded Mittal the Padma Bhushan for his telecom industry contributions.
2007
🏅
Award
Elected ICC Chairman
Mittal was elected Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce, representing Indian business globally.
2016
🏅
Award
Ranked 4th richest Indian
Forbes listed Mittal as the 4th richest Indian with a net worth of $34 billion.
2025
More moments to come...
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 05
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

Mittal’s first telecom products were push-button phones named 'Mitbrau', locally assembled starting in 1984 with German technology from Siemens.

02 / 05
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

Sunil Mittal’s Bharti Foundation runs over 254 Satya Bharti Schools supporting education for more than 250,000 rural children across India.

03 / 05
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

In 2016, Mittal became Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce, a rare position for an Indian industrialist influencing global trade policies.

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🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
Sunil Bharti Mittal | The Untold Story
More from this archive
Sunil Bharti Mittal | The Untold Story
01
Sunil Bharti Mittal | The Untold Story
Bharti Airtel’s Sunil Mittal Speaks About His Struggles & Ambitions
02
Bharti Airtel’s Sunil Mittal Speaks About His Struggles & Ambitions
Mr Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder, Chairman and Group CEO, Bharti Enterprises
03
Mr Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder, Chairman and Group CEO, Bharti Enterprises
Shri Sunil Bharti Mittal addressing Amity University Students
04
Shri Sunil Bharti Mittal addressing Amity University Students
Sunil Bharti Mittal on Airtel: I think one thing which is permanent in telecom is change
05
Sunil Bharti Mittal on Airtel: I think one thing which is permanent in telecom is change
Absence Of Global Leadership, PM Modi To Fill That Vacuum: Sunil Mittal
06
Absence Of Global Leadership, PM Modi To Fill That Vacuum: Sunil Mittal
Seedhi Baat Sunil Bharti Mittal with Prabhu Chawla
07
Seedhi Baat Sunil Bharti Mittal with Prabhu Chawla
Exclusive Interview with Mr. Sunil Mittal - Director
08
Exclusive Interview with Mr. Sunil Mittal - Director
India's Digital Success Story Unbelievable, Says Sunil Bharti Mittal At India Global Forum
09
India's Digital Success Story Unbelievable, Says Sunil Bharti Mittal At India Global Forum
Sunil Bharti Mittal Gets Candid About Bharti Airtel's Future & 5G Plans
10
Sunil Bharti Mittal Gets Candid About Bharti Airtel's Future & 5G Plans

🌱 What changed because of them

Sunil Mittal revolutionized India’s telecommunications by making mobile phones accessible to millions, breaking price barriers with Airtel’s affordable plans. His Bharti Foundation extended educational opportunities to over 250,000 underprivileged children through 254 Satya Bharti Schools, impacting rural India’s social fabric. Globally, his leadership roles in bodies like the International Chamber of Commerce shaped policy dialogues influencing trade and technology across continents.

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