The India International Centre (IIC) witnessed an evening of compelling discussions and celebration as Telecom Wars: The Race to Capture a Billion Voices, authored by journalist and writer Deepali Gupta, was officially launched. Held on Tuesday, April 22 at 6:00 PM in the Seminar Hall, the event attracted an enthusiastic audience eager to revisit the dramatic journey of India's telecom industry.

The highlight of the evening was an engaging panel discussion featuring Lord Meghnad Desai, Professor at the London School of Economics; Manoj Kohli, Country Head at SoftBank Group International; and Deepali Gupta herself. The session was moderated by Manish Kumar, Senior Commissioning Editor at Penguin Random House India, the publisher behind Telecom Wars.

The conversation delved into the fierce entrepreneurial battles, strategic gambles, and high-stakes policy confrontations that defined the evolution of India’s mobile network ecosystem. Panelists shared their reflections on how business rivalries and regulatory shifts shaped the sector, offering the audience rich insights into the forces that helped connect a billion voices across the nation.

Through vibrant storytelling and sharp analysis, the event celebrated the spirit of innovation, resilience, and ambition that propelled India’s telecom pioneers. It also paid tribute to the critical role of journalism in chronicling one of the most transformative periods in the country's economic history.

Telecom Wars promises to be a landmark addition to Indian business literature, offering readers an inside look at the corporate rivalries and regulatory drama that built one of the world's largest mobile markets.

A few photos from the book launch.