News Broadcasting
VSNL’s deal with Asia Netcom for enhancing submarine connectivity
MUMBAI: Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL) and pan-Asian telecommunications services provider Asia Netcom have announced a strategic partnership to enhance our connectivity to the Asia Pacific region.
Under the new agreement VSNL’s proposed Tata Indicom India-Singapore Cable will land at Asia Netcom’s cable landing station in Singapore. The Tata Indicom cable system connecting Chennai and Singapore will be ready for service by the fourth quarter of this yeat.
An official release informs that the new partnership effectively offers VSNL’s domestic corporate customers a cost-effective bandwidth solution to Trans-Pacific routes over Asia Netcom’s EAC cable system, or all the way to US and Europe.
VSNL MD A K Gupta added, ”With a view of catering our services to the growing requirements of our customers, VSNL is presently investing in a number of next generation submarine cable projects. With Asia Netcom, our wholly owned Tata Indicom cable, will offer enhanced connectivity over the trans-Pacific belt. The new arrangement with Asia Netcom will help us package an end-to-end range of bandwidth solutions for our corporate customers.”
The new 3175 km Tata Indicom submarine cable system will run between Chennai and Singapore. The cable system will have an initial capacity of 320 Gbps with the ability to scale up to its design capacity of 5.12 Tbps. With an estimated operating lifespan of 25 years, the new cable will connect Chennai to Singapore, from where onward extension to the US and other significant geographies is readily available at competitive prices.
Asia Netcom’s EAC is a 19,500 km, submarine fiber cable system connecting Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan with 80 Gbps of capacity that is upgradeable incrementally to 2.56 Tbps.
VSNL is in the process of expanding its global presence and is setting up operations in Sri Lanka and the US.
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
