Who is Sunil Bharti Mittal? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Indian Celebrities Born In October

Also Known As: Sunil Mittal

Age: 67 Years, 67 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Nyna Mittal

father: Sat Paul Mittal

siblings: Rajan Mittal, Rakesh Bharti Mittal

children: Eiesha Mittal, Kavin Mittal, Shravin Mittal

Born Country: India

Billionaires Telecommunication

Notable Alumni: Punjab University

City: Ludhiana, India

Founder/Co-Founder: Bharti Enterprises, Bharti Airtel, Bharti Foundation, Airtel digital TV

More Facts

education: Punjab University

awards: Asia Businessman of the Year (2006)
Padma Bhushan (2007)

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1

What is Sunil Bharti Mittal's role in the telecom industry?

Sunil Bharti Mittal is the founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises, which is one of India's leading business conglomerates with interests in telecom, agri-business, financial services, and retail.
2

How has Sunil Bharti Mittal contributed to the growth of mobile telecommunications in India?

Sunil Bharti Mittal played a significant role in the growth of mobile telecommunications in India by founding Bharti Airtel, which became one of the largest telecom companies in the country.
3

What are some of Sunil Bharti Mittal's notable achievements in the business world?

Some of Sunil Bharti Mittal's notable achievements include transforming Bharti Airtel into a global telecommunications giant and expanding the company's operations across numerous countries.
4

How has Sunil Bharti Mittal's leadership style influenced the success of Bharti Enterprises?

Sunil Bharti Mittal's leadership style, characterized by innovation, strategic vision, and a focus on customer satisfaction, has played a crucial role in the success of Bharti Enterprises in various industries.
5

What are some challenges that Sunil Bharti Mittal has faced in his career and how has he overcome them?

Sunil Bharti Mittal has faced challenges such as intense competition, regulatory hurdles, and technological disruptions in the telecom industry. He has overcome these challenges through strategic partnerships, investments in technology, and a customer-centric approach.

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Childhood & Early Life

He was born on October 23, 1957, in an Aggarwal family in Ludhiana, Punjab, India. His father Sat Paul Mittal was a much respected politician. Sunil has two brothers, Rajan Mittal and Rakesh Bharti Mittal.

He attended the Wynberg Allen School in Mussoorie for a while before moving on to Scindia School at Gwalior. Later on he enrolled at the Panjab University from where he graduated in 1976, with a Bachelor of Arts and Science.

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Career

Sunil was ambitious and business minded from a young age. He began to import scraps and bicycle parts when he was just 19, and went on to build a small-scale project to manufacture stainless steel sheets.

Eventually he moved to Mumbai to pursue his business dreams where he started on a small scale, selling his stainless sheets. This experience taught him that he had the potential to become a successful businessman as he was good at making sales and persuading people.

Along with his brothers he started an import enterprise named Bharti Overseas Trading Company in 1980, and the next year he purchased importing licenses from exporting companies in Punjab.

He obtained a dealership with Suzuki Motors and imported thousands of their portable electric-powered generators from Japan. Soon his business was thriving and he became a millionaire.

He faced a crisis when the government banned the import of generators in order to promote manufacture of generators within the country. He had to look for other business avenues now.

He saw a push-button phone while in Taiwan and in 1984, he started assembling push-button phones in India. He launched Bharti Telecom Limited and by the early 1990s, he was manufacturing fax machines, cordless phones, and other telecom gear.

The government invited bids for mobile telephony in 1992, and Sunil was successful in bidding for one of the four mobile phone network licenses auctioned.

He collaborated with the French telecom group Vivendi who agreed to do business with him in spite of the fact that he was still a small-timer that time. He launched services in Delhi in 1995 when Bharti Cellular Limited (BCL) was formed to offer cellular services under the brand name AirTel.

Under his direction the company became very successful and within a few years became the first telecom company to cross the 2-million mobile subscriber mark.

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By launching ‘IndiaOne’, the country’s first private national as well as the international long-distance service provider, he brought down the STD/ISD cellular rates in India. This contributed to Bharti’s success greatly.

Over the years he went from one success to another and his enterprise grew manifold to become India’s largest telecom enterprise. Today Bharti has joint ventures with several global leaders like SingTel, SoftBank, AXA and Del Monte.

He is currently serving as the Vice Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and is also on the Prime Minister of India’s Council on Trade & Industry, World Economic Forum’s International Business Council, and Telecom Board of International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

A humble and unassuming person in spite of all his success, he believes that it is his duty to give back to the society. Thus the Bharti Foundation, the philanthropic branch of Bharti Group was launched to support social causes. The foundation operates more than 254 schools and provides education to over 46,000 children from weaker sections of the society.

Awards & Achievements

The Fortune Magazine named him the Asia Businessman of the Year in 2006.

He was honored with the Padma Bhushan—one of the highest civilian awards in India—in 2007.

Philanthropist of the Year Award was presented to him at The Asian Awards in 2010.

Personal Life & Legacy

He is married to Nyna which whom he has three children: daughter Eiesha and twin sons Kavin and Shravin. Theirs is a close knit family. Mittal is also very close to his brothers, and he had a deep relationship with his father who passed in 1992.

Facts About Sunil Bharti Mittal

Sunil Bharti Mittal, the founder of Bharti Enterprises, is known for his love of golf and is often seen hitting the greens in his free time.

Despite his busy schedule, Mittal is a passionate wildlife enthusiast and actively supports conservation efforts in India.

Mittal is a strong advocate for education and has established various initiatives to promote literacy and skill development among underprivileged communities.

In addition to his business acumen, Mittal is also a music aficionado and enjoys attending concerts and music festivals around the world.

Mittal is a firm believer in giving back to society and has been involved in numerous philanthropic activities, focusing on healthcare, education, and sustainable development.

Sunil Bharti Mittal Biography

You wanted to know

What is Sunil Bharti Mittal's role in the telecom industry?

How has Sunil Bharti Mittal contributed to the growth of mobile telecommunications in India?

What are some of Sunil Bharti Mittal's notable achievements in the business world?

How has Sunil Bharti Mittal's leadership style influenced the success of Bharti Enterprises?

What are some challenges that Sunil Bharti Mittal has faced in his career and how has he overcome them?