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Lights, camera, recognition! CNN-News18 to honour top entertainers at Indian of the Year 2023
Mumbai: In the rich fabric of India’s culture, entertainment plays a pivotal role, with cinema holding the lion’s share in uplifting the nation’s spirits. CNN-News18, the number one English news channel in India, is back with news television’s biggest awards, CNN-News 18 Indian of the Year (IOTY) 2023. The awards will honour individuals who have brought pride to the nation with remarkable contributions in their respective fields. Recognizing excellence across seven categories – Entertainment, Business, Sports, Youth Icon, Rising Sports Star, Social Change, and Climate Warriors, IOTY 2023 promises to be a celebration of India’s finest achievers.
In a year that witnessed the Indian film industry scale new heights, the entertainment category of ‘Indian of the Year 2023’ promises to be an electrifying showcase of talent and success. Here are the luminaries who will be contending for the ‘Indian of the Year – Entertainment’ title:
1. Shah Rukh Khan – Two biggest Hindi blockbusters of all time, ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Jawan’ gave Bollywood the much-needed break from its longest box office dry spell, re-affirming SRK as the one and only king of Bollywood.
2. Mani Ratnam – The years 2022 and 2023 saw Ratnam’s spectacular take on the revered novel of Ponniyin Selvan, which he adapted for the big screen in two parts ‘PS-I’ and ‘PS-II,’ respectively, captivating the audience worldwide.
3. Sunny Deol – He witnessed a career-defining moment in 2023 after he reprised his iconic role as Tara Singh in Anil Sharma’s ‘Gadar 2’. The film recreated the magic of the original movie and helped Deol make the biggest comeback of his career.
4. Deepika Padukone – In 2023, she stunned everyone as a true-blue action star in Siddharth Anand’s Pathaan. Deepika’s Rubina Mohsin has set a new benchmark for her contemporaries in Bollywood. Deepika also performed a stellar cameo in Jawan, which is the highest grosser of 2023 so far.
5. Manoj Bajpayee – His most recent releases ‘Gulmohar’ and ‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai’ were described by critics as the most hard-hitting films of 2023. The actor’s terrific portrayal of an upright advocate fighting against a rape-accused godman in ‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai’ easily puts him in the topmost league of actors in Indian cinema.
The winner will be revealed at the star-studded grand finale celebrating luminaries in Indian entertainment at The Indian of the Year 2023 award ceremony.
The ‘Indian of the Year’ Awards have been a beacon of recognition for exceptional talent across various fields. Past winners in the entertainment category include legends like Amitabh Bachchan, A R Rahman, Irrfan Khan, Rajkummar Rao, Aamir Khan, Allu Arjun, and Rajkumar Hirani, to name a few.
This year, the winner selection process will combine expert judgment and public voting, with 50% of the decision-making power given to the audience and the remaining 50% entrusted to the jury. Online voting will remain open throughout November. To cast your vote for your favourite Indian and for more details regarding the awards, visit www.indianoftheyear.com
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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.
