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20th CNBC-TV18 IBLA honour leaders in innovation & growth
MUMBAI: The 20th edition of CNBC-TV18 India Business Leader Awards (IBLA), presented by Standard Chartered Bank, celebrated India’s visionary leaders who are driving innovation, growth, and transformation across industries through bold actions and impactful contributions.
Emeritus, DLF chairman KP Singh received the ‘Hall of Fame recognition, cementing his legacy as a pioneer in the transformation of India’s real estate sector. The ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award was conferred on Serum Institute of India founder Cyrus Poonawalla for his extraordinary contribution to delivering affordable public health solutions globally. For her exceptional efforts in showcasing India’s cultural heritage and fostering global connections, Reliance Foundation chairperson Nita Ambani was honoured with the ‘Outstanding Contribution to Brand India’ award.
Actor Rajkumar Rao was named ‘Entertainment Leader of the Year’ for his compelling performance in films like Srikanth and Stree 2. The managing director of Bajaj Auto, Rajiv Bajaj received the ‘Outstanding Company of the Year’ award for Bajaj Auto.
The evening also featured engaging sessions with policymakers who offered thought-provoking insights on India’s economic landscape and growth opportunities.
In a fireside chat, union minister of road transport & highways Nitin Gadkari said, “Our GDP structure highlights both challenges and opportunities. Agriculture contributes 14 per cent, manufacturing accounts for 22–24 per cent, and services dominate with 52–54 per cent. Despite this, 65 per cent of our population depends on agriculture, yet its growth rate remains at 14 per cent. This imbalance underscores the urgent need to embrace innovation, science, technology, and global best practices to enhance productivity. By shifting to value-added agriculture, empowering rural communities, and diversifying into energy production, we can elevate agricultural growth to 22 per cent, thereby increasing purchasing power in rural India and aligning it with our broader development goals.”
In conversation with Network18’s editor-in-chief Rahul Joshi, Piyush Goyal, union minister of commerce and industry said, “I’ve long questioned how interest rates—whether high or low—truly impact the demand for essentials like onions, tomatoes, rice, or pulses. This outdated thinking, tied to traditional inflation metrics like CPI, no longer serves us. In fact, high interest rates may fuel inflation, further burdening the common man. It’s time for economists to come together and assess the real impact of monetary policy on food inflation. While the economy remains strong with positive indicators like GST collections and manufacturing growth, we must adapt to changing realities. I’m confident that by the end of the year, we will maintain our position as the fastest-growing economy globally. However, the debate around inflation and interest rates is one we can no longer afford to overlook.”
In his first private media event after taking oath as Maharashtra’s chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis said, “The people of Maharashtra have given us an unprecedented mandate, and with it comes a great responsibility of driving India’s economy forward. Maharashtra has always been ahead, and I am proud to share that in just the first six months of this year, we have already achieved 90 per cent of last year’s FDI inflows—poised for a record-breaking year. In infrastructure, Maharashtra is leading the way with projects like the Badhwar port, which is set to become India’s largest and transformative development, such as the third Mumbai airport in Panvel and the Atal Setu connecting Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. Additionally, we are building a ‘third Mumbai,’ three times the size of the current city, to become India’s next business capital. Maharashtra offers unparalleled opportunities, and I assure you that conducting business here will be seamless and supportive. Together, we can make Maharashtra India’s first trillion-dollar sub-national economy.”
The jury panel for IBLA 2024 comprised a distinguished group of senior industry leaders, including Bharat Forge chairman & managing director Babasaheb N Kalyani, who chaired the panel. Other esteemed jurors included Standard Chartered Bank CEO, India & South Asia Zarin Daruwala, State Bank of India chairman Challa Sreenivasulu Setty, Kotak Mahindra Bank managing director & CEO Ashok Vaswani, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise managing director Suneeta Reddy, Federal Bank managing director & CEO KVS Manian, L&T president, whole-time director & CFO R Shankar Raman, Asian Paints CEO & managing director Amit Syngle, Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar S, Titan Capital co-founder Kunal Bahl, and Blume Venture Advisors co-founder & managing partner Karthik Reddy.
CNBC-TV18 India Business Leader Awards (IBLA) is a coveted leadership award, which celebrates trailblazers whose courage, vision, and influence are redefining success. Spread across seventeen categories, IBLA recognised emerging and established business leaders in its 20th edition.
Here’s the full list of winners:
|
CATEGORIES |
WINNERS |
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BRAND CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR |
ARIEL |
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YOUNG TURK OF THE YEAR |
NOISE |
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YOUNG TURK STARTUP OF THE YEAR |
THE SLEEP COMPANY |
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BREAKOUT BRAND OF THE YEAR |
BLISSCLUB |
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OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO CLIMATE CONSCIOUSNESS |
BATX ENERGIES |
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DISRUPTOR OF THE YEAR |
BLINKIT |
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MOST PROMISING COMPANY OF THE YEAR |
PI INDUSTRIES |
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OUTSTANDING BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR |
VELLAYAN SUBBIAH |
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OUTSTANDING COMPANY OF THE YEAR |
BAJAJ AUTO |
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IN MEMORIAM |
NARAYAN VAGHUL, VINEET NAYYAR, RANJIT SHAHANI, FALI NARIMAN |
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OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO PUBLIC SERVICE |
SUNITA NARAIN |
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OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO INDIAN ECONOMY |
IIT MADRAS (SPECIAL RECOGNITION) |
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ENTERTAINMENT LEADER OF THE YEAR |
RAJKUMMAR RAO |
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SPORTS LEADER OF THE YEAR |
INDIAN CHESS TEAM – TANIA SACHDEV |
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LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD |
DR CYRUS POONAWALLA |
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OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO BRAND INDIA |
NITA AMBANI |
|
HALL OF FAME |
KP SINGH |
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Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
