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Power suits and boardroom buzz as IBLA turns 21 in Mumbai
MUMBAI: When corner offices meet centre stage, the spotlight naturally shifts to leadership and Mumbai is gearing up for exactly that. CNBC-TV18 is set to host the 21st edition of the India Business Leader Awards (IBLA) on January 10, 2026, bringing together India’s most influential corporate leaders and policymakers for one of the country’s most closely watched business evenings.
The high-profile ceremony will be graced by Amit Shah, union home minister, as chief guest. Also expected to attend are Piyush Goyal, union minister of commerce and industry, Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra chief minister, and Eknath Shinde, deputy chief minister of Maharashtra.
Now in its third decade, IBLA 2026 will honour leaders driving enterprise growth, national progress, and India’s expanding influence on the global economic stage. Over the years, the awards have evolved into a bellwether for leadership excellence, spotlighting ambition, innovation, and resilience across industries.
The evening is expected to see one of the largest gatherings of India Inc’s powerhouses, including Mukesh Ambani, Noel Tata, N. Chandrasekaran, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Sunil Bharti Mittal, and Sajjan Jindal, a roll call that underlines IBLA’s standing as one of India’s most prestigious business platforms.
Setting the tone for the year ahead, the 21st edition positions IBLA as India’s biggest business honours night, uniting industrialists, global CEOs, and senior policymakers under one roof to reflect on leadership that builds beyond balance sheets and borders.
The winners are selected through a rigorous and transparent jury process, ensuring credibility and depth in recognising enterprise excellence. This year’s jury is chaired by Kumar Mangalam Birla, and features senior leaders cutting across banking, technology, healthcare, law, and global business. The panel includes Challa Sreenivasulu Setty, C Vijayakumar, Preetha Reddy, Arundhati Bhattacharya, Dilip Shanghvi, Zia J. Mody, P D Singh, and Tarun Garg.
Presented by Standard Chartered, the 21st edition of the CNBC-TV18 India Business Leader Awards continues a legacy of celebrating leaders who think long-term, act decisively, and help shape India’s global success story, one boardroom decision at a time.
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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.
