Debashish Bhattacharya, Additional Director General, Broadband India Forum
During his three-decade long journey in advocacy and consulting, Debashish Bhattacharya has worked at the intersection of technology, public policy, regulation, markets and business development across digital communications, satcom and broadcasting.
Bhattacharya has been associated with the Broadband India Forum (BIF) since its formation in 2015 and has been part of the team that formulates policy and regulatory inputs for the government and the TRAI. As additional director general, he aims to contribute to making BIF “the number one think-tank in the ICT space”, covering telecom, IT and broadcasting. “BIF remains committed to its founding principles of technology neutrality, an all-inclusive approach, non-partisan functioning, and being pro-consumer and pro-competition,” says Bhattacharya. He is optimistic about its growth prospects. “We believe that the prospects are enormous and the sky is the limit,” he adds, noting that there are no challenges and only opportunities for growth.
Bhattacharya believes the telecom, technology and broadcasting sectors are undergoing a radical digital transformation, driven by ubiquitous, high-speed connectivity. Bhattacharya expects new technologies such as next-generation Wi-Fi, Li-Fi, free space optical communications, AI, quantum, cybersecurity and blockchain to scale rapidly. He highlights agentic AI, and the integration of non-terrestrial networks and satellite, edge computing and private 5G, and sustainability and the circular economy as key themes.
His responsibilities include motivating his team to undertake independent, in-depth research across the digital ecosystem and working on consultation responses and policy submissions to authorities including DoT, MeitY, the MIB, TRAI, DPIIT and NITI Aayog. This work spans telecom, technology and broadcasting, as well as submissions linked to the Telecom Act and its rules, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act and its rules, and other related laws.
According to Bhattacharya, his key strengths are strong written and verbal communication, the ability to rapidly process vast amounts of information, round-the-clock availability, adaptability, a proactive and responsive approach, and the ability to provide data-driven insights.
An alumnus of IIT Roorkee, Bhattacharya is an engineer by training and holds an MBA from FMS, University of Delhi. Outside work, he is a sports enthusiast and enjoys reading, listening to music, and watching films and theatre. His wife is a professional in environment and climate change and holds a PhD in physics. They have a daughter who is an entrepreneur running a business with her husband.
