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CNN-News18 Indian of the Year 2023: Honoring titans shaping India’s economic progress
Mumbai: In its 13 editions, the ‘CNN-News18 Indian of the Year’ (IOTY) awards will recognise exceptional contributions of remarkable individuals across seven categories – Business, Entertainment, Sports, Youth Icon, Rising Sports Star, Social Change, and Climate Warriors.
The nominees in the Business category are personalities who are playing a pivotal role in propelling India’s economic growth. The nominees include N Chandrasekaran (chairperson, Tata Sons), Sanjiv Puri (managing director, ITC), Dinesh Khara (chairperson, State Bank of India), Sunil Vachani (founder & chairman, Dixon Technologies) and Sandeep Bakhshi (CEO, ICICI Bank).
Under the leadership of N Chandrasekaran, Tata Sons has witnessed a recovery and comeback in key businesses such as Steel and Auto. He consolidated the leadership in the aviation sector through the Air India acquisition, and the company is now investing in semiconductors, is a manufacturer for Apple and has entered into a tie-up with Nvidia for AI. N Chandrasekaran today oversees 30 companies across ten verticals, operating in more than 100 countries with a collective revenue of $150 billion (Rs 12 trillion), in 2022-23, employing over one million people.
Leading one of India’s diversified conglomerates, Sanjiv Puri has been at the forefront of steering ITC towards sustainable growth and innovation. The demerger of ITC hotels and acquisitions in the D2C and digital space has paid off for the company. ITC expanded with 18 new hotels in the last 16 months, focusing on tier 2 cities. It also consolidated agro, foods, and hospitality for a significant push in millets.
Recognized for his astute leadership at the helm of India’s largest bank, Dinesh Khara has played a crucial role in steering the State Bank of India through a dynamic economic arena. In the first quarter (Q1) of the ongoing financial year (FY) 2023-24, SBI’s net profit stood at Rs. 18,736 cr. Recently, Centre extended his tenure till August 2024. SBI’s asset quality has improved, its costs are under control and the share of safe and secure retail assets have also increased.
Sunil Vachani is a trailblazer in the electronics manufacturing sector and a torchbearer of the Make in India initiative. He has transformed Dixon into a powerhouse in electronics manufacturing, earning it the moniker of India’s Foxconn. This success story is poised to unfold for years to come. In just six years, the company’s workforce has surged from 1,500 to 25,000 employees, with projections reaching around 35,000 within a year.
Sandeep Bakhshi led a remarkable turnaround for ICICI Bank after Chanda Kochhar’s arrest and indictment. He cleaned up the loan book and ramped up the digital game for the bank. When he took over ICICI Bank in 2018, the share price of the bank on BSE was Rs 313.35 per piece, which has reached over Rs 900 and growing, an indication that the investors have reposed faith in the management of the bank. ICICI Bank on October 21 registered 35.7 per cent year-on-year growth in standalone profit and a 24% rise in net interest income in the July-September quarter of the fiscal year 2023-24 (Q2), with a significant fall in bad loan provisions.
‘CNN-News18 Indian of the Year’ has a rich legacy of honouring exceptional individuals across various fields. The 2023 winners will be revealed at the star-studded grand awards ceremony in January 2024.
Past winners in the Business category include names like Ratan Tata, Aditya Puri, Rajiv Bajaj, Kumar Mangalam Birla and Uday Kotak, to name a few.
This year, the winner selection process will combine expert judgment and public voting, with 50 per cent of the decision-making power given to the audience and the remaining 50 per cent entrusted to the jury. To cast your vote for your favourite Indian and more details regarding the awards,
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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.
