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COAI’s India Mobile Congress recognises companies for innovation & contribution to the ICT sector
MUMBAI: The second day of the India Mobile Congress 2018, which is one of the biggest marquee Mobile, Internet, and Technology event for South-East Asia, with the theme, “New Digital Horizons – Connect. Create. Innovate.”, concluded with the IMC Digital Communications awards. UTStarcom was the award partner for the IMC Digital Communications Awards.
The awards were given to the companies, for their exemplary contribution to the sector. The highlight of the night was Indus Towers who won the IMC Digital Communications award for “Best Green Technology Adoption for Telecom Networks”. This was part of total five IMC Digital Communications award categories. Other winners included Huawei Communications India for “Innovative Network Solution of the Year for Connectivity”; Hotstar for the “Best OTT Content Platform”; State of Jharkhand for the “State with the Best Digital Infra Policies” and Surat Smart City for “Smart Cities Project with Most Innovative Technology Adoption”. All the winners were felicitated by the Shri Manoj Sinha, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Communications and Minister of State for Railways.
As part of this year’s award ceremony, three winners of the 9th Aegis Graham Bell awards, in the Telecom and Mobile categories, were also felicitated at this year’s IMC. The winners included Mahindra comviva for “Innovative Telecom Product or Solutions”, eKincare for “Innovative Mobile App for Enterprise”; and Accenture for “Bringing the fortune to the bottom of the pyramid” category.
Aegis Graham Bell awards are given out by the Aegis School of Data Science, Cyber Security & Telecom, and decided by a select jury of key innovators and veterans with aim of promoting innovators and innovations in Information & Communication Technology (ICT) domain and as a tribute to the father of telephony, Alexander Graham Bell.
The IMC awards were driven by management consulting major KPMG, the Knowledge Partner for IMC 2018.
Sharing his views on the award ceremony and the contribution by the winners, Rajan S Mathews, Director General, COAI, said, “We must say that the participants and the awardees plays a vital role in introducing new technology and the much needed change. There is a dire need to encourage innovations and disruption in ICT industry to make the technology work for good. It becomes the responsibility of the entire industry to acknowledge the contribution by these individual, companies and institutions towards the development of the technology.”
IMC 2018, jointly organised by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and COAI for the second time in India, has gone above and beyond everyone’s expectations in showcasing India’s prowess in communications and technology sectors and futuristic technology innovations that will shape India’s future to the rest of the world.
The three day event, titled “New Digital Horizons: Connect, Create, Innovate”, being held at Aerocity, New Delhi, has received unprecedented response with participation from some of the world’s biggest technology companies as well as massive interest from the industry and other visitors.
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JioHotstar enters micro-drama space with 100 shows under Tadka banner
Short-form push targets 300M users as content meets commerce in new format
MUMBAI: JioStar has made a bold play in India’s fast-growing micro-drama space, rolling out over 100 short-form shows under its new Tadka banner on JioHotstar, timed with the massive viewership surge of the Indian Premier League 2026.
The scale of the launch signals clear intent. Rather than testing the waters, the company has dived in headfirst, releasing a wide slate of content on day one. Each show is designed for quick consumption, with episodes running 60 to 90 seconds in a vertical format tailored for mobile-first audiences.
The move comes as India’s micro-drama market, currently valued at around $300 million, is projected to grow tenfold to over $3 billion by 2030. Globally, the format has already proven its mettle, with China’s micro-drama sector recording explosive growth in recent years.
What sets this rollout apart is its built-in monetisation strategy. The shows are free to watch and ad-supported, with brand integrations woven directly into storylines from the outset. It reflects a broader shift where content and commerce are increasingly intertwined, rather than operating in silos.
The timing is equally strategic. With more than 300 million users already tuning in for IPL action, JioHotstar is effectively turning cricket’s biggest stage into a discovery engine for its new format.
The company is not entering an empty arena. Early movers like Kuku TV, MX Player and platforms backed by Zee Entertainment Enterprises have already laid the groundwork, building audiences and validating demand for snackable storytelling.
Now, with scale, distribution and advertiser interest aligning, the big players are stepping in. For JioStar, Tadka may well serve as a proving ground for the next evolution of digital entertainment, where every minute counts and every second sells.
If the bet pays off, India’s next big content wave might just arrive in under 90 seconds.
