The Hindu Business Line : ‘Telecom sector most politicised in the world’

Telecom sector is the most politicised subject in the world and it should be freed from all shackles, if India were to make the best use of emerging technologies, according to Mr Virender M. Trehan, Chairman of Mekaster Group and one of the pioneers in the telecom field who brought the digital switching technology into the country with the help of the French.

Mr Trehan, who received the presidential gold medal at the inaugural of the Indian Science Congress here from the Prime Minister, said later at a press meet that it was the first time that he had been encouraged on a national platform. “I take this as a prestigious moment in my life and I pledge to continue devoting the rest of my life to scientific development in the country,” he said.

Recalling the travails he had to undergo to bring digital switching technology into the country in the 80s, Mr Trehan said, “It is not realised nowadays in the post-liberalisation period how difficult it was to bring technology into the country. For one thing, the foreign companies and governments were not willing to part with technology and it was equally difficult to clear the path in our own country.”

He said he had to explain to the late Prime Minister Ms Indira Gandhi, the advantages of the technology and “she also had good knowledge of French and she herself used to converse with the representatives of Alcatel, the French company which gave us the technology. Her knowledge of French was, therefore, crucial.”

He said the French Government had agreed to provide the loan and supplier’s credit and the technology could be brought in.

In response to a question on the emerging technologies in the telecom sector, Mr Trehan said he had been keeping himself away from the telecom sector for more than a decade and he would not like to comment on the issue.

In response to another question, Mr Trehan said he was of the opinion that the Union Government should sell spectrum and “the sooner the Government takes a positive decision, the better”.

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