The son of a local greengrocer in the town of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh looks set to revolutionise the telephone industry in India with the invention of a Rs 251 (US$3.65) smartphone.

Indian man develops world's cheapest smartphone.
Indian man develops world's cheapest smartphone. <span class="media-attribution">Image by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sanyambahga/12153363006/in/photolist-jvXapu-ffmZBf-8S83RU-zjxFUC-oTX5Sg-jUmrGR-ccp3V3-5M3ZxG-9yH7ok-dx6z5J-b5qz3M-auV2Kk-buoqiw-6FLQ5q-9yP7Z7-bvxqXh-fu25sB-7CoM9W-c2BKDq-2hWtKc-9yP7mG-fovJmh-9X2gAz-adtdJF-6i63yv-54oHmo-6wM1n-5VcJ16-6eRoCj-dPSUVh-8sf46V-7AKkwK-seGpV5-9axLna-6BGLnR-2ANv4-dhwPAm-4UyRpr-jPvdNr-6FLSCu-7m75ZE-6AJPpC-6FLMAp-6FLU55-8SVRp-9978Dx-cS2rb5-7H54Kk-uBWqX-2FjLci" target="_blank" rel="external">Sanyam Bahga</a> / <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/uk/" target="_blank" rel="external">CC BY-SA 2.0</a></span>

Mohit Goel started his company, Ringing Bells, using a loan from his father’s fruit and vegetable business, assembling high-spec phones in India using Taiwanese parts. The invention of the Freedom 251 brings roaming data within the reach of millions of Indian families with low incomes, adding fuel to India’s already strong technical internet revolution. Read more: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Explore related stories

March 15, 2017: The sacred city of Varanasi with people taking a morning bath on the Ganges River.
1088906144
RFC,  Shutterstock,  asia,  asian,  banaras,  bath,  benares,  boat,  boats,  city,  colorful,  cremation,  crowd,  crowded,  cultural,  culture,  dirty,  ganga,  ganges,  ghats,  hindu,  hinduism,  holy,  india,  indian,  landscape,  panorama,  panoramic,  people,  pilgrim,  poor,  poverty,  pradesh,  puja,  religion,  religious,  river,  sacred,  spiritual,  tourism,  traditional,  uttar,  varanasi,  water,  ganges river,  indian people,  morning bath,  sacred city,  sacred river,  tourist town,  uttar pradesh,  varanasi view,  Boat,  City,  Cityscape,  Flag,  Handbag,  Person,  Port,  Urban,  Vehicle,  Water,  Waterfront
March 15, 2017: The sacred city of Varanasi with people taking a morning bath on the Ganges River.

Art and Culture

A first-time guide to Varanasi, India

Sep 19, 2024 • 9 min read