News Broadcasting
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.
News Broadcasting
News18 India launches Command Centre war explainer with Arya
New show shifts from debates to decoding global conflicts and impacts
MUMBAI: News18 India has rolled out a new war-focused programme, Command Centre, featuring Gaurav Arya, as it looks to offer viewers a sharper, more grounded take on global conflicts amid rising tensions in West Asia.
Positioned as an “insider war room”, the show moves away from conventional panel debates and instead focuses on explaining military developments, decoding strategy and connecting global events to their everyday impact, from fuel prices to economic shifts.
The format leans heavily on visuals and data. The studio has been designed like a command hub, complete with large LED war maps, real-time graphics and an alert system to track developments as they unfold.
At the centre of it all is Arya, who brings his military background to simplify complex war strategies for viewers. His signature line, “Seedhi baat samjhiye”, anchors the show’s promise of clarity over noise.
News18 India managing editor Jyoti Kamal said, “Command Centre, featuring Major Gaurav Arya is designed to deliver accurate insights and a clear perspective on how evolving conflicts impact everyday life, from household budgets to national security. With expert voices analysing every development in real time, the show goes beyond headlines to decode what’s happening now, what it means, and what could come next.”
Echoing the intent, Gaurav Arya added, “In times of war, confusion is the biggest threat. With News18 India’s Command Centre, we are bringing viewers inside the war room, decoding strategies, tracking every escalation, and explaining, in the simplest terms, what it means for India and for every household. Seedhi baat samjhiye, this is where you understand not just what is happening, but what happens next.”
The weekday show will air in the afternoon slot and will also feature Gaurav Shukla, adding to its editorial depth.
With its mix of analysis, visuals and a clear focus on impact, the show reflects a broader shift in news consumption. Viewers are no longer just watching events unfold, they are looking to understand what those events mean for them.
