Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Infocomm has been chosen the 'Telecom Man of the Year 2004' by Voice and Data magazine while state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam was adjudged the top telecom service provider.

Bharti Televentures bagged the award for best cellular service provider and BSNL for fixed line, national long distance and Internet services.

Ambani was chosen for his "vision and efforts which helped transform the telecom sector and the lives of million Indians by making the masses a part of India's telecom revolution," V&D said in a press release.

"The wishes from the people and industry make us strive harder in making telecom services more affordable for the masses of the country and leapfrog our country on the international IT super highway," Ambani said on being named the 'Telecom Man of the Year'.

Ratan Tata was named 'Telecom Man of the Year' in 2003.

VSNL was number one ILD operator and HCL Comnet was numero uno VSAT and network management service provider.

Top network storage company was HP India and Tata Consultancy Service was the leading telecom software company.

Other awardees included Nokia as top telecom equipment company, Ericsson (top infrastructure provider), Cisco WLAN (an enterprise equipment company), Hughes Network (top VSAT equipment company), LG India (top mobile phone vendor), and Tata Telecom -- top voice solutions company.