Music and Youth
ET NOW celebrates India’s most promising SMEs at the 7th Season of ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ Conclave and Awards 2018
Mumbai, September 26, 2018: ET NOW, India’ leading English Business News Channel, hosted the 7th season of ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ (LOT) Conclave and Awards 2018 in Mumbai. India’s biggest platform for SMEs, ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ (LOT) showcases, empowers and recognises India’s most promising Small Business Entrepreneurs (SMEs). The keynote address was delivered by Mr. Amitabh Kant, CEO – NITI-Aayog, theme address by Mr. V. Vaidyanathan, Founder & Chairman – Capital First and the special address on ‘Right to Win’ was delivered by Mr. Harsh Mariwala, Founder & Chairman – Marico India.
This year, LOT Conclave & Awards 2018 was attended by global business icons and corporate leaders from various industries who led the conversation on what it takes to leapfrog SMEs to the Sensex. The stellar line-up of speakers included Ashish Kumar Chauhan, MD & CEO – BSE, Partha Sinha, VC & MD – McCann Worldwide, Sam Subramaniam, CEO – Brand Capital, Pradeep Parameswaran, President – Uber India & SA, Debjani Ghosh, President – NASSCOM, Vijay Karia, Chairman & MD – Ravin Group and Prabodh Thakker, Chairman – Global Insurance Brokers amongst others. The sessions through various discourses and deliberations reflected on a range of topics including Open Innovation, Smart Marketing, Local to Global, The Digital Front amongst others.
Commenting on the occasion, M. K. Anand, MD & CEO, Times Network said, “Leaders of Tomorrow Conclave and Awards in its 7th season salutes the spirit of SME leaders who are actively contributing to India’s growth. We are proud to provide a platform that honors and celebrates their determination and passion to bring alive ideas and, in the process, create inspiring stories for budding entrepreneurs. Embodying ET Now’s ethos – ‘Rise with India’, I firmly believe that India’s most coveted platform for SMEs, will inspire new stories of entrepreneurial success that contributes to India’s growth.”
Delivering the keynote address, Amitabh Kant, CEO NITI-Aayog said, “MSME’s contribute close to around 45-50 per cent in manufacturing, exports and jobs. The two imperatives of growth and jobs, both which are critical for India, come from the MSME sector. We have done away with a lot of rules, regulations and procedures that were prevalent over the past 70 years so that it becomes easier for MSMEs to do business. That is the reason why we have jumped up 42 positions in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Global Ranking.”
He further added, “The future of SME and MSMEs lies in digitisation. Digitisation and formalisation will be the crux which will throw up a huge amount of data, leading to financial inclusion. 98.3 per cent Indians pay income tax online, which is result of the government shifting to digitization and technology, which will prove to be a huge asset in the way MSMEs do business. India’s economy has got formalised thanks to the GST. In one year of GST, we have 47 lakh new formal enterprises in India. Unlike any other country, the Ayushman Bharat scheme launched by the Honorable Prime Minister will link up 150,000 primary health centres to the district health centres which will enable 42% of India’s population to have access to medical insurance of about 5 lakh rupees. All MSMEs must be part of the global supply chain and must lead with design and innovation for the future. My belief is that the future of India lies in the hands of the MSMEs and we need to create the right ecosystem, for India’s economy to grow at 9-10%.”
The conclave was followed by an award ceremony to honour the great leaders of tomorrow. The winners were shortlisted after a month-long nomination process across nine exciting categories. Pioneers from various industries were felicitated based on the criteria including their unprecedented display of sharp business prowess, clear understanding of the market and their deep focus on innovation and driving change. Clensta International won the ‘SME of the Year Award’, following the elevator pitch made to the eminent jury comprising MK Anand, MD & CEO – Times Network, Suresh Narayanan, Chairman & CEO – Nestle India, Madhusudan Kela, Market Veteran & Founder -MK Ventures, Pradeep Parameswaran, President – Uber India & SA, Sam Subramaniam, CEO – Brand Capital, Debrati Sen, MD – 3M India & Sri Lanka and Saurabh Srivastava, Co-Founder & Chairman – Indian Angel Network.
The 7th season of Leaders of Tomorrow Conclave & Awards 2018 was presented by Capital First, Partner, Brand Capital, On Ground Partner, Broadcast 1 & GM Online Media, Associate Partner, ICSI, Knowledge Partner, India SME Forum, Ecosystem Partner, TiE India and Supported by MSME India. The entire event will be aired on ET NOW in the coming weeks.
The ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ Awardees are:
MUMBAI: Mumbai is about to witness something it has never seen before. The Global Youth Festival arrives on 6-7 December at Jio World Garden with 15,000 attendees and 60-plus experiences sprawled across six sprawling arenas. On its sixth edition, this is no ordinary jamboree—it is a carefully orchestrated collision of wellness, adventure, arts, music, yoga and social change.
Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis will throw open the proceedings with a landmark ceremony, signalling the state’s backing for a movement that has already mobilised youth across 20-plus countries and 170-plus cities. The sheer scale is staggering: 500-plus volunteers powering the machine, 600,000-plus volunteer hours logged across previous editions, and millions of lives touched annually.
The speaker roster is formidable. Diipa Büller-Khosla and Dipali Goenka, chief executive of Welspun India, will share the stage with Malaika Arora in conversations spanning leadership, creativity and culture. Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Mansukhbhai Mandaviya will also attend, reinforcing GYF’s reach into the corridors of power.
But this is not mere talk. The Solaris Mainstage promises concerts from renowned Indian artists. Innerverse delivers a 360-degree LED spectacle of art, technology and sound. The Love and Care Arena houses hands-on projects spanning women’s empowerment, child education, rural upliftment and animal welfare. India’s largest outdoor sound-healing experience awaits. An inflatable obstacle course, neon drifter karts and open-sky bouldering cater to thrill-seekers.
Some have branded GYF the “Coachella of Consciousness.” Others call it “India’s Largest Sober Festival.” Spiritual visionary Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji, who inspired the festival, will deliver the Wisdom Masterclass. Every rupee goes to charity.
After Mumbai comes Kolkata on 14 December. New York looms next year. For one weekend in December, Mumbai becomes the epicentre of youth-driven change—and nothing will be quite the same after.
Tickets available on BookMyShow. Visit youthfestival.srmd.org or follow @globalyouthfestival on Instagram.
