India’s ‘Samriddh Gram’ wins global WSIS Prize 2026 for Rural Digital Transformation
Instituted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) under the WSIS framework, the awards honour projects that effectively leverage Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to advance sustainable development worldwide.
The award was presented during the WSIS Forum 2026 held in Geneva, recognising India's innovative approach towards leveraging digital public infrastructure and telecom connectivity for inclusive rural development.
New Delhi: India’s flagship rural digital transformation initiative, Samriddh Gram, has won the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prize 2026 under Action Line C6 – Enabling Environment, earning global recognition for its innovative model of delivering integrated digital and physical services to rural communities.
The award, presented during the WSIS Forum 2026 in Geneva, recognises the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for developing a BharatNet-enabled “phygital” service delivery ecosystem that combines digital connectivity with on-ground service facilitation to improve access to healthcare, education, financial services, agriculture, and e-governance in rural India.
Instituted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) under the WSIS framework, the awards honour projects that effectively leverage Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to advance sustainable development worldwide.
From Connectivity to Rural Transformation
At the heart of the initiative are Samriddhi Kendras, village-level centres established on the BharatNet broadband backbone to provide multiple citizen services through a single platform.
The centres integrate:
- Telemedicine and Health ATMs
- PM Jan Aushadhi medicine services
- Smart classrooms and AR/VR-based skill development
- IoT-enabled soil testing and smart irrigation
- Drone-assisted agriculture
- Banking Correspondent and e-Governance services
- E-commerce support for local products
- FTTH broadband and PM-WANI connectivity
- Community digital facilitation and village surveillance systems
The model combines reliable telecom infrastructure with assisted physical service delivery, enabling rural citizens to access essential public and private services closer to home.
Recognition of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure
Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya M. Scindia described the award as another milestone for India’s digital transformation, stating that it reflects global recognition of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of an inclusive Digital India where technology reaches even the remotest villages.
According to the Department of Telecommunications, Samriddh Gram demonstrates how BharatNet can evolve beyond broadband connectivity into a platform for measurable socio-economic transformation by integrating digital public infrastructure with community participation.
Rigorous Global Selection
The project emerged as the Global Winner after a multi-stage international evaluation process involving project screening, global public voting, expert assessment, and final adjudication.
More than 2.2 million votes were cast worldwide across all nominated projects during the public voting phase. Among the 18 WSIS Prize categories, only two Indian initiatives were selected as Champion Projects, with Samriddh Gram subsequently securing the top global honour in its category.
The initiative also contributes to multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by promoting digital inclusion, healthcare, quality education, financial inclusion, innovation, livelihoods, and reduced inequalities.
With over 2.17 lakh Gram Panchayats already service-ready through BharatNet, the recognition reinforces India’s growing leadership in deploying Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) as a scalable model for inclusive rural development.
