Back on July 31, 1995, India witnessed a turning point in the world of communication. It was the day when the very first mobile phone call in the country was made. The call took place between West Bengal’s then Chief Minister, Jyoti Basu, and the Union Minister of Communications, Sukh Ram. This wasn’t just any ordinary phone call—it marked the beginning of a new age. The call was made using a bulky Nokia handset on the Modi Telstra network, a partnership between Indian businessman BK Modi and Australia’s Telstra.

That moment connected two key Indian cities—Kolkata and New Delhi—but more importantly, it opened the doors to mobile communication in India. However, mobile phones were a luxury item back then. Just one minute of talking would cost Rs 8.40, and it didn’t matter whether the call was incoming or outgoing—you’d be charged either way. During busy hours, the price doubled to a staggering Rs 16.80 per minute. Naturally, only a few privileged people could afford to use mobile phones.

While the exact model of the mobile phones used during India’s first-ever mobile call in 1995 remains unclear, it’s believed they might have been early Nokia models that were popular at the time. Devices like the security-focused Nokia 2080, the more user-friendly Nokia 350, or even the sleek and rugged Nokia 880 were among the best of that era.

The Nokia 880, in particular, was considered cutting-edge—it came with features that were revolutionary back then, such as a snap-on vibrating battery for silent alerts, the ability to read up to three lines of text for SMS messages, and a comfortable, user-friendly keypad that made dialing and texting easier.

But fast forward to today, and the scenario has completely changed. Calling is almost free, and the internet is available even in remote villages. Much of this change started in 2016 when Reliance Jio entered the scene with cheap data plans, shaking up the entire telecom market. Other companies had to follow suit, which led to a rapid drop in mobile service costs.

What began as an expensive service for a few is now an affordable and essential tool for nearly every Indian. From business meetings to video calls with family, mobile phones have become the backbone of daily life. That first call in 1995 might have been brief and costly, but it lit the spark for India’s digital revolution.