The sixth Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) chief Rahul Khullar never hesitated in the face of controversy - be it free roaming, broadband highway or issues relating with spectrum prices. With his term as TRAI chief now drawing to a close, CNBC-TV18’s Malvika Jain takes a look at his eventful stint as India's telecom watchdog.
Rahul Khullar, Outgoing Chairman, TRAI said, “I think it is a very onerous responsibility and I hope that I am able to make a good job of it.”
He was handpicked by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the sensitive post of chairman of the TRAI. Having completed his three-year stint, serving as the sixth telecom regulator of India, Khullar is now a man in a hurry. He wishes for the month to end quickly as that's when he will be released from his official duties. This is unlike most bureaucrats and so was Khullar's approach towards telecom policy matters.
Year 2012 was a very challenging year for the telecom sector, the Supreme Court cancelled 122 telecom licenses, telecom companies were reeling under significant levels debt and tariff wars were the order of the day. Khullar identified corporate rivalry as the root cause.
According to him, a lot of damage was done by corporate rivalry. He tried his level-best to bring CEOs to the table and talk things through. He also tried to reduce potential conflicts between corporates.
A doctorate holder in economics and a fluent speaker of Hindi, English and Malayalam, Khullar has made recommendations to the government on thirty four issues including spectrum pricing and DTH licensing during his tenure.
Whenever government made a populist announcement, the former commerce secretary and India's chief ETO negotiator was quick to hold up the mirror - be it was calling the broadband highway timeline too ambitious or openly criticizing promises to offer free roaming.
His tenure was tumultuous, as is his departure. Rahul khullar is leaving behind the discussion paper on regulating over-the-top (OTT) internet service providers like WhatsApp, Viber and Skype as part of his legacy.
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