26th Economic Times Awards: Sitharaman Chief Guest, Naidu to Receive Business Reformer Award

The Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai will be the stage on Saturday for the most prestigious event in India's corporate calendar, marking the pinnacle of aspiration for the community that will gather to celebrate the best and brightest that move the wheels of the country's economy. Fittingly enough, the 26th edition of The Economic Times Awards for Corporate Excellence will have as chief guest a significant policy maker — finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman. In the seven years that she has served in that role, Sitharaman has earned a deserved reputation as one of the country's preeminent champions of reform. Also present among the business and policymaking elite will be an administrator who leads by example in how to make a difference to the lives of people and leave a mark that future generations will be proud of — N Chandrababu Naidu, chief minister of Andhra Pradesh. He is the winner of the Business Reformer of the Year Award. As the world copes with explosive geopolitical tensions and economic protectionism not seen in half a century, it requires clear-headed leaders. They must interpret these developments for the rest of the world. Another highlight of the evening will be a panel of the country's brightest minds discussing 'Navigating West Asia Crisis: India's Economic Strategy.' They will include Kotak Mahindra Bank founder Uday Kotak, JSW Group chairman Sajjan Jindal, Salesforce India chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya and Mahindra & Mahindra group chief executive Anish Shah. The companies that will be feted on Saturday include HDFC Life, Bharti Airtel, Groww, YouTube, Asian Paints and Rategain Travel Technologies. For their enormous contribution to India's business and economy, and touching millions of lives, Cyrus Poonawalla of the Serum Institute and KP Singh of DLF will be honoured with Lifetime Achievement awards.