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Irdeto Receives Prestigious Value Leader Award at Airtel Confluence
MUMBAI: Irdeto has received the Airtel Value Leader Award from Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”), India’s largest telecommunications service provider, based on the value brought to its DTH business through its deployment of Irdeto Armor for Android TV, Irdeto Cloaked CA and Middleware for Airtel’s satellite service. The award was recently presented at Airtel Confluence, an annual event attended by Airtel’s top partners where partnership excellence is recognized.
The award is based on Airtel’s review of partner contributions and considers three key criteria. These are; value delivered through commercial structure, unique business model and strategic importance of business and value generated. The award is also given in recognition of the ability to develop a win-win commercial model, restructure the joint supply chain to remove waste and champion a cost-conscious culture.
Irdeto became an Airtel partner in 2018 with a mission to secure all content offered on Airtel’s Digital TV services. As part of the strategic partnership, Irdeto provides pre-integrated security and middleware solutions to help Airtel protect and grow its business on both zappers and hybrid Android TV platforms.
“Being a trusted strategic partner to customers is core to Irdeto’s business. We not only strive to provide the highest levels of security, but to understand our customers’ business needs,” said Doug Lowther, CEO, Irdeto. “It is a great honor to receive an award like this from such a prestigious company. It is testament to our customer-focused culture and the expertise of our team.”
Irdeto receives Airtel Value Leader Award at Airtel Confluence 2018. From Left to Right: Mr. Randeep Sekhon, Chief Technical Officer, Airtel; Ms. Harmeen Mehta, Chief Information Officer, Airtel; Sanjiv Kainth, Vice President Sales & Support, South Asia, Irdeto; Mr. Gopal Vittal, CEO India & SEA, Airtel; Mr. Moti Gyamlani, Director SCM, Airtel.
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Raghu Rai passes away at 83, leaves behind iconic legacy
Padma Shri-winning photographer documented history across 5 decades.
MUMBAI: The lens may have stilled, but the stories it captured will never fade. Raghu Rai, one of India’s most celebrated photojournalists, passed away on April 26, 2026, at the age of 83. He breathed his last at a private hospital in New Delhi after battling cancer and age-related health issues.
His son, Nitin Rai, revealed that Rai had been diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago, which later spread to the stomach and, more recently, the brain. Despite multiple rounds of treatment, his health had declined in recent months.
Born in 1942 in Jhang, Punjab (now in Pakistan), Rai entered photography in his early twenties, inspired by his elder brother, photographer S. Paul. Beginning his career in the mid-1960s, he went on to build a body of work that spanned more than five decades, contributing to global publications such as Time, Life, GEO, Le Figaro, The New York Times, Vogue, GQ and Marie Claire.
His global recognition took a decisive leap in 1977 when legendary French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson nominated him to join Magnum Photos, placing him among the world’s most respected visual storytellers.
Rai’s lens chronicled both power and poignancy. He photographed towering figures such as Indira Gandhi, Dalai Lama, Bal Thackeray, Satyajit Ray and Mother Teresa, while also documenting defining moments like the Bhopal gas tragedy later captured in his book Exposure: A Corporate Crime.
Over the years, he published more than 18 books, building an archive that blended journalism with artistry. His contributions were recognised early when he was awarded the Padma Shri in 1972 for his coverage of the Bangladesh War and refugee crisis. In 1992, he was named “Photographer of the Year” in the United States for his work in National Geographic, and in 2009, he was honoured with the Officier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government.
Rai is survived by his wife Gurmeet, son Nitin, and daughters Lagan, Avani and Purvai. His last rites will be held at Lodhi Cremation Ground in New Delhi at 4 pm on Sunday.
With his passing, Indian photojournalism loses not just a pioneer, but a patient observer of history, one frame at a time.
