Newly-launched satellite industry trade body Satellite Industry Association-India (SIA-India) has brought in media industry veteran and tech expert Rajeev Gambhir as Senior Director, Technology and Policy.

Gambhir would be part of the secretariat of SIA-India that’s headed by Anil Prakash.

At a time when India has proposed a new satellite communications and space policy, which is pending a final nod from the government, a group of satellite industry people came together to form SIA-India some time in march. The formal launch happened last month.

Inspired by the US based Satellite Industry Association (SIA), trade association providing representation of the leading American satellite operators, service providers, manufacturers, launch services providers, and ground equipment suppliers, SIA-India would represent the interests of the communication satellite ecosystem in India.

Gambhir had previously been in leadership roles at Reliance Jio, MSO company DEN Networks and Saranga Broadband, amongst others.

At the formal launch, held primarily virtually, a top ITU executive had said, there was a huge opportunity for the to connect the unconnected primarily in rural and remote regions.

“Big opportunities lie ahead for the industry, including connecting the unconnected especially in rural areas. As we look to the future, collaboration will be vital across industries, regulators, governments, regional and international bodies, especially the ITU,” Malcolm Johnson, Deputy Secretary General, ITU had said at the virtual launch of SIA-India.

Claiming to be the sole representative body for the satellite communications eco system SIA-India said it would be a unified voice of the satellite communication industry whole work closely with the Indian government on policy matters.

Dr. Subba Rao Pavuluri as its president heads the new trade association, while the executive office will be helmed by director-general Anil Prakash, who in his last stint headed the executive office at Broadband India Forum.

The SIA-India executive board also includes DS Govindrajan, President, Aniara Communications; Bashir Patel, Senior Regional Advisor , INMARSAT & Global Satellite Coalition (GSC) Coordinator; Ravi Ailawadhi, owner of Agrim Consultancy Services and regional representative of Methera Global Communications Ltd. of the UK.

The advisory panel comprises, amongst others, Aarti Holla Maini, Secretary General, ESOA and Member, World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Space Technology; David Hartshorn, CEO, Geeks Without Frontiers; Gregg Daffner, CEO, GAPSAT; John Medeiros, Chief Policy Officer, Asia Video Industry Association and SC Alhuwalia, former DDG, Satellite in India’s Department of Telecom, Communications Ministry.