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McAfee says Indian tweens are potentially vulnerable to risky internet behaviour
MUMBAI: There is a growing trend of Indian tweens (kids between 8-12 years old) that are rapidly adopting internet through multiple devices and a variety of social networking platforms.
McAfee unveiled its tweens and technology report 2013 which analyses the online behaviour of India’s next generation of digital natives.
A few important highlights from the report are: On an average, Indian tweens are using between three and four devices that can be internet enabled, internet access is predominantly PC/laptop based (71 per cent and 76 per cent access the internet via these devices respectively), however 42 per cent access the internet via a mobile device.
Almost half (45 per cent) of the online tweens access internet post 8:00 pm. They are regularly playing games (91 per cent) on tablet or chatting with friends on mobile (63 per cent). Tweens are widely using mobile/smartphones to access internet (68 per cent use mobile to access the internet). Despite the age eligibility for Facebook being 13 years, three in four (70 per cent) tweens admit to currently using Facebook.
Online tweens are potentially vulnerable to risky behaviour on the internet as 36 per cent of online tweens have chatted to someone online that they didn’t know previously.
The findings of McAfee’s Tweens & Technology Report 2013 were released at a panel discussion with McAfee consumer marketing director (APAC) Melanie Duca, McAfee India VP of engineering – consumer and mobile Venkat Krishnapur, McAfee Cybermum India Anindita Mishra, Dr. V. Jayanthini, M.D, D.P.M, leading psychiatrist and Meeta Sengupta, a veteran educationist and advisor to schools.
Speaking about the relevance of these new-age parenting challenges, McAfee Cybermum India Anindita Mishra said, “There is an increasing influence of the online world on children’s persona that cannot be undermined because of the emotional and developmental impact it has. The role of parents in delivering safe and positive cyber experience to their kids is significant than ever before. Having a genuine and transparent two-way communication with children is absolutely fundamental to establishing a safe and positive cyber experience.”
“With malware writers mastering their craft, they continue to transfer their skills to new and popular mobile platforms in addition to PCs and laptops. The proliferation of multiple mobile device usage and this staggering increase in new malware will require Indian parents to recalibrate on how to arm their children with best online practices ensuring safe online experiences for them.” said McAfee India VP of engineering – consumer and mobile Venkat Krishnapur.
McAfee consumer marketing director (APAC) Melanie Duca said, “As a company, McAfee is dedicated to making the internet safe by providing resources to help educate and protect families. Our Cybermum initiative and cyber education program in Indian schools reinforce commitment towards this cause.”
Across APAC, McAfee has developed a cyber education program, which is delivered to school-aged children by McAfee employee volunteers. The initiative has now been rolled out in India whereby McAfee is reaching out to Indian schools and will scale up the program over the next one year.
McAfee’s tweens & technology report 2013 was conducted through a survey administered across Indian online tweens aged 8-12 years old comprising 572 male and 428 female respondents from Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Delhi.
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Tejas Networks names Arnob Roy as MD and CEO, overhauls top leadership team
The Bengaluru-based telecom gear maker reshuffles its entire top team even as quarterly revenue collapses by 83 per cent
BENGALURU: Tejas Networks is changing the guard at the top, and doing so at speed. The Bengaluru-headquartered telecom equipment maker has elevated Arnob Roy as managing director and chief executive officer, effective April 15, 2026, for a term running through to August 3, 2028, and in the same breath announced new appointments across operations and finance. The timing is pointed: the company is navigating one of the roughest patches in its recent history.
Roy steps up from his role as executive director and chief operating officer, a position he has held since March 2019. He brings more than three decades of experience in the high-technology sector across research and development, operations, and sales. His predecessor, Anand Athreya, resigned last year citing personal reasons and was relieved on June 20, 2025, leaving a gap at the top that has now been formally filled.
The numbers Roy inherits are sobering. Tejas posted a net loss of Rs 211.3 crore in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026, a near-194 per cent widening year on year from Rs 71.8 crore in the same period a year earlier. Revenue for the quarter collapsed 82.6 per cent year on year to Rs 333 crore, down from Rs 1,907 crore. EBITDA swung to a loss of Rs 118.2 crore against a profit of Rs 121.5 crore a year ago. The culprit is not hard to identify: Tejas has derived the bulk of its revenue from BSNL’s fourth-generation network project, delivered as part of a Tata Consultancy Services-driven consortium, and that roll-out is now winding down.
Roy, speaking during a post-earnings conference call with analysts, was candid about where the company has been. “The BSNL 4G network went live across 100,000 sites. We deployed our largest indigenous router networks in the country through the BSNL MAN network, as well as in the BharatNet Phase 3 network,” he said, adding that Tejas had also successfully rolled out its 400G and 800G DWDM equipment in domestic and international markets, and continued the deployment of what it describes as the world’s largest satellite IoT network through its vehicle tracking system solution.
The pivot to new revenue streams is already under way. Tejas has partnered with Japan’s Rakuten Symphony and NEC Corporation to push deeper into international markets, with several Open Radio Access Network trials ongoing, one of which concluded recently. The company is also diversifying across equipment categories and geographies to sustain momentum as the BSNL chapter closes.
To prosecute that strategy, Roy needs a full team around him. Preetham Uthaiah has been appointed chief operating officer, moving up from his current role as vice president of product management for wireless products at Tejas Networks. Uthaiah brings nearly 30 years of global experience spanning engineering, product management, and business development across India and the United States. Before joining Tejas Networks, he served as executive vice president of product management, marketing, and strategy at Saankhya Labs, and held senior roles at Tech Mahindra on both sides of the Atlantic. He holds an MBA from Arizona State University and a degree in electronics and communications from Karnatak University.
On the finance front, AVS Prasad has been approved as chief financial officer, effective May 16, 2026, succeeding Sumit Dhingra, who has resigned. Prasad, currently serving as finance controller at Tejas Networks, brings over 27 years of experience within the Tata Group across telecom, aerostructures, and defence. A company secretary and cost and management accountant by training, he has spent more than 15 years in senior finance roles including CFO and financial controller positions, with expertise spanning corporate finance, treasury management, regulatory compliance, internal audit, and governance.
New chief executive, new chief operating officer, new chief financial officer — all installed in a single move, at a moment when the company’s largest revenue source is drying up and the next chapter remains unwritten. Tejas Networks has placed its bets. Now it has to deliver.
