The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has been announced as the Global winner of the prestigious World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2026 under Action Line C6, Enabling Environment, for its flagship project “Samriddh Gram: Integrated Phygital Service Delivery Model Enabled by BharatNet.” The initiative aligns with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of delivering integrated digital services to remote and rural areas of India. The award was presented during the WSIS Forum 2026 in Geneva, recognising India’s innovative approach to leveraging digital public infrastructure and telecom connectivity for inclusive rural development.
Instituted under the WSIS process led by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the WSIS Prizes are among the world’s most prestigious recognitions for projects that use Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to advance sustainable development. The WSIS Forum brings together governments, United Nations agencies, industry, academia, civil society and international organisations to promote people-centric, inclusive and development-oriented digital transformation.
The Minister’s Response
Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, shared the achievement on his X account, describing the recognition as “another feather in the cap for Bharat on the global stage.” He said the honour reflects global recognition of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of an inclusive Digital India, where the benefits of technology reach every citizen, including those in the remotest villages.
Highlighting the initiative’s transformative impact, the Union Minister said that, powered by BharatNet, Samriddh Gram converts connectivity into opportunity by delivering healthcare, education, digital banking and livelihood services through village-level Samriddhi Kendras. He added that the achievement reaffirms India’s global leadership in Digital Public Infrastructure and shows that solutions built for India’s unique needs can serve as scalable models for the world. Congratulating all stakeholders associated with the initiative, he called the recognition a proud milestone in India’s digital transformation journey.
What Samriddh Gram Actually Delivers
Samriddh Gram is an integrated rural digital transformation initiative of the Department of Telecommunications, built on the BharatNet backbone. At its heart are Samriddhi Kendras, one-stop village-level hubs that deliver integrated phygital services by combining reliable telecom connectivity, digital platforms and assisted physical service delivery.
The initiative brings together a wide range of citizen-centric services under one roof, spanning healthcare, education, agriculture, financial inclusion, skilling, e-Governance and e-commerce. The Samriddh Gram Centre offers tele-consultation, diagnostic services through Health ATMs, and medicines through PM Jan Aushadhi Kendras.
It also provides smart classrooms and AR/VR-based skill development, IoT-based soil testing, drone-enabled fertilizer and pesticide spraying, and mobile app-based smart irrigation solutions, along with CSC and e-Governance services, Banking Correspondent services, e-commerce support for local products, FTTH and PM-WANI connectivity, CCTV-based village surveillance, and community-level digital facilitation. Together, these ensure seamless access to essential services and promote inclusive, technology-enabled rural development.
The project shows how BharatNet and last-mile telecom infrastructure can move beyond connectivity to deliver measurable socio-economic outcomes for rural citizens, through an integrated service delivery model backed by local facilitation and community participation.
Why the Recognition Matters
The award underscores India’s success in creating an enabling environment for digital inclusion by combining robust telecom infrastructure with citizen-centric service delivery. It also points to the potential of BharatNet, one of the world’s largest rural broadband initiatives, which has made more than 2.17 lakh Gram Panchayats service-ready and online, opening up digital access and opportunities across rural India.
How the Global Winner Was Chosen
Samriddh Gram was selected as the Global Winner after a multi-stage evaluation process: project submission, international screening, global online voting, selection among the top five Champion Projects in its category, and final adjudication by the WSIS Expert Committee. During the global online voting phase, more than 2.2 million votes were cast worldwide across all nominated projects.
Among the eighteen award categories under the WSIS Prizes 2026, only two projects from India were selected as Champion Projects. Samriddh Gram went on to become the Global Winner in Action Line C6, Enabling Environment, reflecting international recognition of India’s scalable, citizen-centric approach to rural digital transformation.
Broader Impact
The project contributes to multiple Sustainable Development Goals by promoting access to healthcare, quality education, financial inclusion, livelihoods, innovation, reduced inequalities and digital empowerment. It also supports the goals of WSIS Action Line C6 by fostering an enabling policy and implementation environment for inclusive digital development.
The global recognition of Samriddh Gram reinforces India’s leadership in using digital public infrastructure and telecommunications to bridge the digital divide and deliver real socio-economic transformation in rural areas. It also reflects the country’s commitment to building an inclusive, resilient and digitally empowered society through innovative, scalable and community-centric models of service delivery.
Key Takeaway: The Department of Telecommunications’ (DoT) Samriddh Gram initiative receiving the WSIS Prizes 2026 Global Winner award under Action Line C6 (Enabling Environment) highlights India’s growing leadership in leveraging Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and BharatNet for inclusive rural development.
For government exam aspirants, the key points to remember are the roles of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the significance of BharatNet as one of the world’s largest rural broadband initiatives, and the Samriddh Gram model that integrates healthcare, education, agriculture, financial inclusion, e-Governance, skilling and digital connectivity through village-level Samriddhi Kendras. The initiative’s contribution to multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its recognition as a globally scalable model underscore India’s commitment to bridging the digital divide and promoting technology-driven, citizen-centric rural transformation.
M.C.Q.
Question 1: The Department of Telecommunications’ Samriddh Gram initiative received the WSIS Prizes 2026 Global Winner award under which Action Line?
- A. Action Line C2 – Information Infrastructure
- B. Action Line C4 – Capacity Building
- C. Action Line C6 – Enabling Environment
- D. Action Line C10 – Ethical Dimensions
Question 2: Which of the following statements regarding Samriddh Gram is correct?
- A. It is an initiative of the Ministry of Rural Development for watershed management.
- B. It is built on the BharatNet network to provide integrated digital and physical services through village-level Samriddhi Kendras.
- C. It is a satellite communication programme implemented by ISRO.
- D. It is an initiative exclusively for digital banking services in urban areas.
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