Founder and Chairman of Bharti Airtel, Sunil Bharti Mittal, on Monday received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the Global System for Mobile Communications Association(GSMA).
The honour was presented at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, where global leaders and industry executives gathered to recognise his decades of influence in expanding mobile connectivity worldwide.
Mittal described the recognition as a shared milestone.
“I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition and sincerely thank the GSMA for this award. I accept it not only as a personal milestone, but as a tribute to the telecom journey, the collective spirit of Bharti, and the rise of telecom companies on the global stage,” he said.
The award has strong significance for Malawi, where Airtel Africa plays a key role in expanding mobile access, digital payments, and financial inclusion.
Mittal emphasised the broader impact of telecommunications, saying telecommunications is a force that expands opportunity, places essential services in the palm of every individual, and unlocks human potential.
He added that the industry must continue working to ensure growth drives equity and lasting opportunities.
The GSMA said the Lifetime Achievement Award is rarely granted and recognises individuals whose leadership has left a lasting and defining mark on the global communications ecosystem.
























