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In a moment of celebration befitting a career defined by purpose and progress, the Telecom Leadership Forum (TLF) 2025 conferred its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award on Dr Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India. The recognition celebrates an extraordinary journey of engineering brilliance, policy leadership, and unwavering commitment to India’s digital sovereignty.
Dr Karandikar’s name is synonymous with India’s telecom transformation. Over the decades, he has seamlessly bridged the realms of research, policy, and governance, shaping the nation's digital backbone and guiding it into the future. From rural broadband to spectrum reform, indigenous innovation to global standardisation, few figures have had such a pervasive and lasting impact.
His early pioneering work in academia, most notably as a professor and later Director of IIT Kanpur, laid the foundation for transformative innovation. At IIT Bombay, he led critical research in wireless communications and computer networks, co-founded startups, and mentored generations of engineers, all while driving national initiatives like the Gram Marg rural broadband project.
Gram Marg: Bridging the last mile
Among his most celebrated contributions is the Gram Marg initiative, an audacious project that leveraged TV White Space spectrum to connect remote villages with low-cost broadband. At a time when conventional models struggled with affordability and reach, Dr Karandikar's frugal engineering approach provided a breakthrough, setting up testbeds in Maharashtra and inspiring a wave of rural connectivity pilots across India.
Champion of Frugal 5G and beyond
A visionary far ahead of his time, Dr Karandikar was one of the earliest proponents of Frugal 5G, a simplified, cost-effective version of the high-speed network tailored for developing countries. He led efforts to standardise this vision globally, including chairing working groups within the IEEE and contributing to India's 5G High-Level Forum.
As Chair of multiple spectrum task forces, he steered policy recommendations that enabled the rollout of 5G trials and streamlined India’s experimental licensing ecosystem. His foresight and pragmatism not only accelerated India’s 5G readiness but laid the groundwork for the country's ambitions in 6G technology, an area he now leads as Chair of the 6G Spectrum Policy Task Force.
Voice of indigenous innovation
Dr. Karandikar has been a relentless advocate for Indian standards and technology. As a founding member and former Chairman of the Telecom Standards Development Society of India (TSDSI), he championed the development of homegrown telecom solutions, aiming to reduce India’s dependency on foreign intellectual property.
His contributions earned him global recognition, including the IEEE Standards Medallion for his revolutionary impact on telecom policy and standardisation. He also served on the Board of Governors of the IEEE Standards Association and as Vice Chairman of the 3GPP Program Coordination Group, amplifying India’s voice in global forums.
Shaping science and policy at the highest level
Currently serving as the Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, Dr. Karandikar brings his signature blend of scientific rigour and policy foresight to the broader national innovation agenda. “I am proud to see science, policy, and innovation coming together to drive inclusive progress,” he stated during his acceptance.
His role in advising the Ministry of Defence on software-defined radio and leading the Defence Standards Development Authority reflects his cross-domain influence, where telecommunications are seen not just as infrastructure, but as instruments of strategic autonomy.
As the country marches towards 6G, universal broadband, and AI-integrated networks, Dr. Karandikar’s work remains a guiding beacon. He exemplifies the rare blend of technical mastery and policy acumen that India needs to leap into its next telecom revolution.