TELLING EFFECT: Telecom major Bharti Group saw a rapid rise in its market cap last year, grabbing the 6th place in the list. From a market cap of just Rs 4,198 crore (Rs 41.98 billion), the company gained by Rs 15,281 crore (Rs 152.81 billion) to reach Rs 19,479 crore by 2003-end.
Bharti Tele-Ventures, the leading private sector provider of telecommunications services, was incorporated on July 7, 1995. The same year, the company launched its mobile services -- AirTel -- in Delhi. The company now offers mobile services in 15 circles.
In 1998, Bharti launched its fixed-line services in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh circles. The company also provides fixed-line services in Haryana, Delhi, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu circles.
Apart from mobile and fixed-line services, the company is operating in national and international long distance services, V-Sat, Internet services and network solutions.
Above: Two Indian painters work on a cellular phone billboard in Calcutta.
Inset: Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman and Group Managing Director, Bharti.
Photo: DESHAKALYAN CHOWDHURY/AFP/Getty Images)