DoT’s Samriddh Gram wins WSIS Prize 2026 Global Winner (Action Line C6 – Enabling Environment)
DoT’s Samriddh Gram was named the global winner of the WSIS Prize 2026 under Action Line C6 for its BharatNet-based rural service model.
AI generatedThe Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has been named the Global Winner of the WSIS Prize 2026 under Action Line C6 – Enabling Environment for its project Samriddh Gram: Integrated Phygital Service Delivery Model Enabled by BharatNet. The award matters because it presents rural telecom infrastructure as a platform for service delivery, not just a channel for internet access.
The recognition was announced at the WSIS Forum 2026 in Geneva. The WSIS Prizes are instituted under the World Summit on the Information Society process led by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). They recognise projects that use Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for sustainable development.
What Samriddh Gram is
UPSC may frame this as a case study in how broadband infrastructure can move beyond connectivity to last-mile service delivery, financial inclusion and rural livelihoods. The issue links policy design, institutional coordination and the challenge of turning digital infrastructure into measurable social outcomes.
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