TammieNeedham at 21:33, 23 April 2026

2026-04-23T21:33:18Z

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{{Short description|Indian computer engineer (1940–2022)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = Brijendra K Syngal
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = 1940<ref name=":0" />
| birth_place = [[Ambala]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab Province]], [[British Raj]]<ref name=":0" />
| death_date = 9 July 2022 (aged 82)
| death_place =
| spouse =
| alma_mater = [[IIT, Kharagpur]]
| workplaces = VSNL India
| known_for = Telecommunications
| website =
| awards = {{plainlist|
* [[IET Achievement Medal]]
}}
}}
'''Brijendra Kumar Syngal''' (1940 – 9 July 2022) was an Indian telecommunications executive who was referred to as the ‘Father of Indian Internet’. His five-decade career included executive positions in the major and public sector telecom companies in India including Chairman and Managing Director of [[Tata Communications|VSNL]], now known as [[Tata Communications]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://strategicsolutionz.com/syngal.html |title=Strategic Solutions...About B.K.Syngal |accessdate=2015-10-28 |url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120830150506/http://www.strategicsolutionz.com/syngal.html |archivedate=2012-08-30 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/1998-06-28/indias-b-dot-k-dot-syngal-intl-edition|title=India's B.K. Syngal|newspaper=Bloomberg.com|date=29 June 1998|via=www.bloomberg.com|access-date=2 November 2020|archive-date=7 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107205127/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/1998-06-28/indias-b-dot-k-dot-syngal-intl-edition|url-status=live}}</ref> India’s provider of telecommunication services, Chairman of Reliance Telecomm <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-corporate/article28935390.ece|title=B.K. Syngal is fellow of IIT|website=@businessline|date=20 September 2003|access-date=2 November 2020|archive-date=11 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711070857/https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-corporate/article28935390.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> and Vice Chairman of BPL Communications.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/money/2001/nov/21bpl.htm|title=rediff.com: Syngal set to head BPL cell ventures : BS|website=www.rediff.com|access-date=2 November 2020|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304133252/http://www.rediff.com/money/2001/nov/21bpl.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Syngal also served as Chairman, [[Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation]] (London);<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.dsci.in/taxonomypage/653 |title=Jury for the Corporate Awards | Data Security Council of India |access-date=28 October 2015 |archive-date=26 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926133430/https://www.dsci.in/taxonomypage/653 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Governor, [[Intelsat]] Board, Washington DC;<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=http://www.duaconsulting.com/principals.html|title=Senior Principals – Dua Consulting|website=www.duaconsulting.com|access-date=28 October 2015|archive-date=12 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912235820/http://www.duaconsulting.com/principals.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and as a Councillor for the INMARSAT Council in London.

Syngal was Senior Principal, Dua Consulting, [[New Delhi]], India. He headed the Consulting and Advisory team of Telecom Experts in the disciplines of Licensing, Regulation, Policy Formulations and Government Affairs. He provided services to a large number of Telecom Clients, both National and Multi-National, in these areas.<ref name="auto"/>

== Career ==
He held various technical qualifications including B.Tech. (Hons.) and M.Tech. from [[IIT Kharagpur|IIT, Kharagpur]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/the-best-and-the-brightest/209442|title=The Best And The Brightest|website=outlookindia.com|access-date=2016-04-11|archive-date=27 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427132914/http://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/the-best-and-the-brightest/209442|url-status=live}}</ref> India, C Eng (UK), M.I.E.E. (UK) and Sr. M.I.E.E. (USA). He was also a member of the [[London Court of International Arbitration]].

One of Mr. Syngal's earliest major accomplishments included assisting [[ISRO|Indian Space Research Organization]] and [[Department of Space]] with the launch of their satellite in 1992, when US-imposed sanctions prohibited use of US-based facilities for tracking of satellites during the most crucial launch phase. He was instrumental in the award of a major contract for supply of space segment capacity on the Indian INSAT system in 1994–1995.<ref>An excerpt taken from "Reflections by IITians" Published by Ram Krishnaswamy 2008</ref> Under his chairmanship (1991-1998),<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mookerji |first=Nivedita |date=May 16, 2020 |title=What Telecom Man reveals about India's business-politics links |url=https://www.rediff.com/money/special/what-telecom-man-reveals-about-indias-business-politics-links/20200516.htm |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=Rediff |language=en |archive-date=25 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725202149/https://www.rediff.com/money/special/what-telecom-man-reveals-about-indias-business-politics-links/20200516.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> VSNL launched the first publicly-available Internet plans in India in 1995.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 14, 1995 |title=VSNL starts India's first Internet service today |url=http://www.dxm.org/techonomist/news/vsnlnow.html |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=www.dxm.org |archive-date=10 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211010020634/http://dxm.org/techonomist/news/vsnlnow.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":0" />

Under Mr. Syngal's leadership, VSNL‘s gross revenues rose 215 percent from $515 million to $1.6 billion. Stock market capitalisation rose 355 percent, from $0.9 billion to $4.1 billion, profits rose 666 percent, and gross revenue per employee rose 204 percent, switched-voice traffic rose 354 percent, and data traffic rose 1091 percent. Under Mr. Syngal's stewardship, VSNL conceived, planned and executed what was at that time the biggest Global Depository Receipts (GDR) issue out of India and the third largest out of Asia (Excluding Japan). The issue was oversubscribed about ten times.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Brijendra K. Syngal, Senior Principal, Dua Consulting |url=http://archive.tele.net.in/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=16114 |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=tele.net.in}}</ref>

VSNL rose to become an international company, both in terms of the services it offers and its ownership. Under Mr. Syngal's chairmanship, VSNL also contributed to the explosive growth of India's software industry. The software growth increased from US$60 million in 1991 to US$2 billion in 1997–98. Employment in the software sector increased from 40,000 to 6,00,000 in the same period. In 1998, he and his team of associates joined Reliance, and remained there until his resignation in 2001. During his tenure as Reliance Infocomm chairperson, Syngal was said to be also serving as the president of the Association of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India—one of the telecom industry’s trade associations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://caravanmagazine.in/reportage/government-helping-reliance-jio-monopolise-telecom|title=How Reliance Jio is monopolising the telecom sector|last=Block|first=Daniel|website=The Caravan|language=en|access-date=2019-05-21|archive-date=16 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516080132/https://caravanmagazine.in/reportage/government-helping-reliance-jio-monopolise-telecom|url-status=live}}</ref>

He has written for Business newspapers and Magazines like [[the Economic Times]], [[Business India]]. Other contributions include "The Chakrarvyu in the Local Loop";<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/article28904475.ece|title=The chakravyuh of local loop|website=@businessline|date=27 February 2003|access-date=2 November 2020|archive-date=6 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106193653/https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/article28904475.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> Telecommunications as the fourth Dimension of Transportation after Land Sea and Air;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/|title=Business News Live, Share Market News – Read Latest Finance News, IPO, Mutual Funds News|website=The Economic Times|access-date=2 November 2020|archive-date=3 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103214009/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> Commoditisation of Connectivity.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/commoditisation-connectivity-brijendra-syngal|title=Commoditisation of Connectivity|website=www.linkedin.com|access-date=5 July 2016|archive-date=11 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711070857/https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/commoditisation-connectivity-brijendra-syngal|url-status=live}}</ref> He has also been a visiting lecturer at the [[Indian School of Business]], Hyderabad (ISB) on Corporate Governance in the Public Sector.

== Honors and awards ==
Syngal has received many industry awards including Telecom Man of the Decade Award by Wisitex Foundation, India, Partners in Progress Award by the Government of [[Maharashtra]] for his contributions in telecommunications sector both in India and abroad.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://iitkgp.org/content/institutional-development-id-program|title=The Institutional Development (ID) Program|website=iitkgp.org|access-date=11 July 2022|archive-date=16 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316053113/https://iitkgp.org/content/institutional-development-id-program|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

Syngal has been the recipient of the Ambrose Fleming Medal for Achievement in Communications conferred by the [[Institution of Engineering and Technology]] (IET), UK.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.machinebuilding.net/n/n1290.htm|title=IET Names Winners of 2008 Achievement Awards|website=www.machinebuilding.net|access-date=2016-04-11|archive-date=24 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424103620/http://www.machinebuilding.net/n/n1290.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

He was also credited with bringing the internet to India in 1995, ahead of any Asian country, with the exception of Japan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.livemint.com/Industry/R3kgewhIhKscbiELV1sHZM/The-birth-of-the-Internet-in-India.html|title=The birth of the Internet in India|last=Ghosh|first=Shauvik|website=livemint.com|date=29 June 2015|access-date=2016-04-11|archive-date=2 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161002083708/http://www.livemint.com/Industry/R3kgewhIhKscbiELV1sHZM/The-birth-of-the-Internet-in-India.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He was named one of the '50 stars of Asia' by the Business Week magazine in 1998.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sapkale |first=Yogesh |date=2020-02-11 |title='Telecom Man' Is Story of BK Syngal, the Father of Internet in India and the Revolution |url=https://www.moneylife.in/article/telecom-man-is-story-of-bk-syngal-the-father-of-internet-in-india-and-the-revolution/59417.html |access-date=2022-07-11 |work=Moneylife |language=en}}</ref> He was also honored by his Alma Mater (Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur) with a life fellowship for his contributions in the field of communications and changing the life of millions by bringing internet and digital connectivity to India.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archives.digitaltoday.in/businesstoday/22071998/cf5.html|title=Business Today|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=|access-date=|archive-date=18 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418215914/http://archives.digitaltoday.in/businesstoday/22071998/cf5.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Some of his other awards given in recognition of his outstanding achievement in the telecom sector include:<ref>An excerpt taken from the book "Reflections by IITians" Published by Ram Krishnaswamy 2008</ref>
"Partners in Progress" award, by the Govt. of Maharashtra,
"International Excellence Award – 1994" in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of telecommunications both in India and abroad.

=== Bibliography ===
BK Syngal has edited two books- 'Back to the DOTs' and 'VSNL unleashed'.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YxgWAQAAMAAJ|title=Back to the dots--: development of India's external telecommunications from morse to mouse|last1=Nair|first1=C. N. N.|last2=Ltd|first2=Videsh Sanchar Nigam|date=1996-01-01|publisher=Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd.|language=en}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Syngal died on 9 July 2022 at the age of 82.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-07-11 |title=BK Syngal, the Telecom Man of India, is No More |url=https://www.moneylife.in/article/bk-syngal-the-telecom-man-of-india-is-no-more/67717.html |access-date=2022-07-11 |work=Moneylife |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Bureau |first=BL Mumbai |date=2022-07-10 |title='Father of Indian Internet' BK Syngal passes away |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/former-vsnl-chief-bk-syngal-passes-away/article65623246.ece |access-date=2022-07-11 |newspaper=[[Business Line|The Hindu Business Line]] |language=en |archive-date=10 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710144721/https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/former-vsnl-chief-bk-syngal-passes-away/article65623246.ece |url-status=live }}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite book |last1=Syngal |first1=Brijendra K. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E_dYzQEACAAJ|title=Telecom Man: Leading from the Front in India's Digital Revolution |last2=Deb |first2=Sandipan |date=2020 |publisher=Westland Publications Private Limited |isbn=978-93-89152-09-8 |language=en}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Syngal, B. K.}}
[[Category:1940 births]]
[[Category:2022 deaths]]
[[Category:People from New Delhi]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Delhi]]
[[Category:IIT Kharagpur alumni]]
[[Category:Indian businesspeople in the telecommunications industry]]

B. K. Syngal - Revision history

TammieNeedham at 21:33, 23 April 2026