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CNBC-TV18 is all set to host the 18th edition of the ‘India Business Leader Awards (IBLA)’
Mumbai: CNBC-TV18’s India Business Leader Awards (IBLA) returns to celebrate its 18th year of recognizing and honouring exceptional industrialists, business leaders, and luminaries who have made a significant impact on the global stage. IBLA continues to honour the excellence in leadership which has contributed significantly to India’s growth story while creating profitable, sustainable, and socially responsible brands and businesses.
Scheduled to take place on 11 May, the ceremony will be hosted by CNBC-TV18 managing editor Shereen Bhan. The marquee event will bring together some of the most influential leaders in business, education, and government to recognize excellence and success in their respective fields. The list of esteemed guests includes senior government dignitaries such as Hardeep Singh Puri (Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, and the Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas, GoI); Devendra Fadnavis (Deputy Chief Minister, Govt. of Maharashtra); and Amitabh Kant (G20 Sherpa, GoI).
Eminent business leaders and luminaries that will grace the event include Azim Premji, Chairman – Azim Premi Foundation, Founder Chairman – Wipro Ltd., Chairman – Wipro Enterprises; Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman, Aditya Birla Group; Uday Kotak, MD, Kotak Mahindra Bank; Zarin Daruwala, Cluster CEO, Chairman, Standard Chartered Bank, India & South Asia Markets; Salil Parekh, CEO, Infosys; T Narendran, CEO & MD, Tata Steel; Venu Srinivasan, Chairman Emeritus, TVS Motor; Prabha Narasimhan, MD & CEO, Colgate Palmolive; Adar Poonawalla, CEO, Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd.; Rajiv Memani, Chairman & Regional MD, EY India; V Vaidyanathan, MD & CEO, IDFC First Bank; Jay Shah, Secretary, BCCI; Dilip Asbe, MD & CEO, NPCI; Raamdeo Agarwal, Chairman, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd.; Ramesh Damani, Veteran Investor & Member, BSE; Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt; and Indian Boxer Nikhat Zarin among others.
Commenting on the occasion, Network18 CEO Avinash Kaul said, “IBLA’s legacy of celebrating inspiring excellence in business for 18 years has been a remarkable journey. Over the years, it has become an essential date in the economic calendar of the Indian subcontinent as we honor the good work done by businessmen, policymakers, entrepreneurs, corporates, and other key influencers – who have demonstrated unwavering determination, bold vision, and courage to make a substantial impact on their industries and the economy. We are delighted to recognise and applaud their outstanding accomplishments on this prestigious occasion.”
The 18th Indian Business Leader Awards is set to make a statement as it takes the stage, with Standard Chartered Bank as the presenting partner.
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WITT Summit 2026 concludes in New Delhi
Babar Azam’s comical diving attempt goes viral as league introduces anti-dew measures.
MUMBAI: The WITT Summit just wrapped up with enough big ideas to fill a policy playbook because when India’s leaders, thinkers and icons gather under one roof, even the conversations hit sixes. The eighth edition of TV9 Network’s flagship What India Thinks Today (WITT) Summit 2026 concluded on Saturday after two days of dynamic discussions at its New Delhi venue. India’s largest multi-domain public policy and culture summit brought together political leaders, policymakers, sports icons, artists and technology innovators to examine the forces shaping contemporary India and its global standing.
Prime minister Narendra Modi delivered the keynote address on the theme “India and the World” for the third consecutive year. In a wide-ranging speech, he addressed the ongoing conflict in West Asia, calling for restraint and compassion while highlighting India’s continued development trajectory despite global turmoil.
The summit featured candid conversations with state leaders. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy articulated a people-first governance model and contrasted it with other development approaches. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav declared that Left-wing extremism had been effectively eliminated in his state and highlighted preparations for the upcoming Kumbh Mela. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann defended his government’s record, citing the closure of 19 toll plazas and creation of the Sadak Suraksha Force. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar expressed confidence in Congress prospects in Assam and addressed recent allegations against him.
On geopolitics and national security, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia outlined India’s ambition to become a builder of trusted digital infrastructure for the world, citing the rapid 5G rollout and village-level 4G connectivity.
Cricket received significant attention. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly praised player freedom and trust as hallmarks of great leadership and named MS Dhoni as the greatest captain due to his World Cup successes. India women’s team bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi credited the BCCI and Women’s Premier League for building a pipeline of world-class talent behind the team’s recent ODI World Cup triumph.
The summit also hosted the inaugural AI² Awards 2026, celebrating the convergence of human creativity and machine intelligence in storytelling and content creation. Poet and kathavachak Kumar Vishwas delivered a nuanced take on India’s concept of Dharma and criticised the recent arrest of an 80-year-old Shankaracharya. Veteran lyricist Sameer Anjaan and storyteller Neelesh Misra reflected on changing music trends and artistic responsibility in the wake of a recent controversy involving Nora Fatehi.
In a country where conversations often run as deep as the Ganges, the WITT Summit proved once again that when leaders, thinkers and storytellers come together, the real winner is public discourse lively, layered and refreshingly unafraid to tackle the big questions shaping India’s tomorrow.
