Gurgaon, India
Aircel Limited was an Indian mobile network operator headquartered in Mumbai that offered voice and 2G and 3G data services. Founded by Chinnakannan Sivasankaran in 1996, the company quickly became a market leader in Tamil Nadu and expanded its presence to Odisha, Assam, and North-East telecom circles.
By December 2017, Aircel boasted a subscriber base of over 84.93 million and ranked as India's sixth-largest GSM mobile service provider. Despite its initial success, the company encountered challenges, culminating in the shut down of 2G and 3G services after failed merger talks with Reliance Communications.
In 2012, Aircel underwent a significant reorganization, scaling down its operations in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Kerala, and Punjab. Subsequently, in April 2015, it resumed services in Kerala. However, the company's fortunes further declined, leading to its entry into the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process from 12 March 2018.
Notably, Aircel was prominent in sports and entertainment sponsorships, endorsing teams and events such as the Indian Premier League cricket team Chennai Super Kings, Shillong Lajong FC in the I-League, Atlético de Kolkata FC in the Indian Super League, the Chennai Open ATP tennis tournament, and the Professional Golf Tour of India. Additionally, the company supported the Save the Tiger campaign and counted influential figures like Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Mary Kom, Dhanush, and Sameera Reddy among its brand ambassadors.
As of now, there is no available information on the last investment or last investors.