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NDTV’s Indian of the Year Awards: A tribute to India’s unsung heroes
Mumbai: NDTV’s Indian of the Year award, held this year after a gap of several years, was a celebration of the women of India, the millions who have driven real change and who contribute to the have the power to transform India.
Union minister Smriti Irani, former banker Naina Lal Kidwai, squadron leader Nikita Malhotra, para-athlete Suvarna Raj, tennis icon Sania Mirza, and Delhi’s first Uber driver Shanno Begum received the award on behalf of the women of India.
The glittering evening saw the biggest faces – from top politicians, and business leaders to film and sports personalities – celebrating the exceptional and paying homage to the unsung.
India’s Heroes Award went to the team of rat miners involved in the heroic rescue of 41 trapped in a collapsed Uttarakhand tunnel last year. One of the most moving moments of the evening was when actor Sunny Deol walked up to the team and hugged them, wiping tears.
Vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar started the celebrations by giving away the first few awards, including the Science Icons of the Year, which went to the ISRO team behind the successful Chandrayaan and the Aditya-L1 missions.
In his address, the vice president urged the media, as a key pillar of society, to contain the “freefall of misinformation”. Using the Citizenship Amendment Act CAA as an example, he said it is a reprieve for persecuted people and does not deprive anybody of citizenship, but a different impression was created. The media, said Mr Dhankhar, must play its role and tackle misinformation.
Vikrant Massey, who delivered a stellar performance in the superhit film’12th Fail’, won the ‘Actor Of The Year’, the ‘Sports Performance Of The Year’ went to the Indian Women’s cricket team and was awarded by Suvarna Raj (para-athlete & motivational speaker) and Sania Mirza. Sunny Deol, who made a grand comeback last year with his blockbuster-hit ‘Gadar 2’ a remake of his 2001 film, won the ‘Entertainer Of The Year’. The heroes from the Silkayara tunnel rescue operation were also honored with the ‘India’s Heroes’ award.
The awards honour those who have thought ahead, dared to be different, and redefined the meaning of ‘being a true Indian’.
Here is the complete list of winners:
Health Leader of the Year: Dr Yazdi Italia, Padmashree awardee
Ex-director, Go-NGO Sickle Cell Anaemia Control Program, Govt of Gujarat
Business Leader of the Year: N Chandrasekaran, Chairperson, Tata Sons
To accept on his behalf is Mr Kreethivasan, CEO Tata Consultancy Services
Entrepreneur of the Year: Deepinder Goyal
CEO & Founder, Zomato
Innovator of the Year: Peyush Bansal
Founder, LensKart
The India First Award: Amitabh Kant
India’s G20 Sherpa
Best Performing Small State Award: Pramod Sawant
Chief Minister of Goa
Entertainer of the Year: Sunny Deol
Sports Performance of the Year: Indian Women Cricket Team
(Represented by: Shafali Verma, Shriyanka Patil, Sneh Rana, Radha Yadav)
India’s Heroes: The Silkyara Saviours
Actor of the Year: Vikrant Massey
Director of the Year: Atlee
Climate Influencer of the Year: Prajakta Koli
UNDP Youth Climate Champion
Science Icons of the Year: M Srikanth, mission director, Chandrayaan-3 & mission director, Aditya L1
Dr P Veeramuthuvel, project director, Chandrayaan-3
K Kalpana, Associate project director, Chandrayaan-3
Nigar Shaji, project director, Aditya L1
Social Impact Influencer of the Year: Kusha Kapila (actor, influencer)
The LiFE In India Award: Gadge Meenakshi
Sarpanch, Mukhra village, Telengana
Indian of the Year: Women of India
Union Minister Smriti Irani, tennis legend Sania Mirza, Squadron Leader Nikita Malhotra, Naina Lal Kidwai, members of the Indian Women’s cricket team, and scientists from ISRO, received the award.
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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.
