Season 13 of ET Now Leaders of Tomorrow Awards, Times Network’s flagship entrepreneurship initiative presented by IDFC FIRST Bank, concluded on March 6, 2026, bringing together some of India’s most dynamic entrepreneurs for an evening that celebrated ambition, resilience and the spirit of enterprise.

According to a press release, the platform has evolved into one of India’s premier initiatives dedicated to empowering and celebrating entrepreneurship. Over the years, Leaders of Tomorrow has built a strong legacy of championing the country’s MSME sector by spotlighting businesses that drive innovation and economic growth.

The awards this year were organised under the theme ‘Agility. Ambition. Ascent.’, recognising outstanding entrepreneurs across 17 categories. The theme reflected the kind of leadership needed to adapt, scale and guide India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem in an environment shaped by uncertainty and disruption.

The event was attended by prominent leaders and policymakers, with Shrikant Shinde, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, serving as the Chief Guest and delivering the keynote address. Milind Deora, Shiv Sena Member of Parliament, also attended the event and praised Times Network’s long-standing initiative, describing ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ as India’s longest-running television show dedicated to entrepreneurs.

Speaking about the theme and the role of MSMEs in the country’s growth, Shrikant Shinde highlighted the significant contribution of the sector to the Indian economy. He noted that MSMEs contribute nearly 30 per cent to India’s growth and account for around 50 per cent of the country’s exports. He added that under the leadership of Narendra Modi, the sector is witnessing a favourable environment for expansion and innovation. He also emphasised that platforms such as Leaders of Tomorrow play an important role in recognising entrepreneurs from rural areas, where MSMEs often serve as a key driver of economic development and employment.

The evening also featured a series of discussions and conversations with prominent industry leaders and entrepreneurs. A fireside chat titled ‘The Making of a Young AI Founder’ featured Raul John Aju, Founder and CTO of Alrealm Technologies. Another panel discussion, “Climate is the New Cost Curve,” brought together environmentalist Sumaira Abdulali, Manvendra Singh Shekhawat of The MRS Group, and Amit Prothi, Director General of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.

Another fireside conversation titled ‘Building Bharat’s Industrial Future’ featured Pawan Goenka, Chairman of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe), Department of Space, Government of India. The discussion was moderated by Chiranjeevi Phanindra, Founder and CEO of Cosmoserve and former scientist at Indian Space Research Organisation.

The discussions concluded with a panel titled ‘Ambition in a Fragmented World,’ featuring Naina Lal Kidwai, Chair of Rothschild & Co India and the India Sanitation Coalition, Piruz Khambatta, Chairman of Rasna International, and Niranjan Hiranandani, Co-founder and Managing Director of the Hiranandani Group.

The winners of the Season 13 awards were selected by a distinguished Grand Jury comprising 13 eminent industry leaders, including Pawan Goenka, Naina Lal Kidwai, Piruz Khambatta, Deepak Bagla, Mission Director of the Atal Innovation Mission, Siddharth Banerjee, CEO of Univo, Amit Khatri, Co-Founder of Noise, Gautam Kapoor, COO and Co-Founder of Shiprocket, and Shashank Srivastava, Executive Director at Maruti Suzuki India, among others.

The selection process began with a month-long Call for Entries campaign that invited MSMEs from across the country to participate. All submissions underwent a rigorous eligibility review conducted in collaboration with knowledge partner Ernst & Young, after which the Grand Jury held detailed deliberations to finalise the winners.

The evening also featured insights and perspectives from several respected industry voices, including Pawan Goenka, Naina Lal Kidwai, Piruz Khambatta and Niranjan Hiranandani, reflecting the platform’s continuing commitment to recognising and encouraging India’s entrepreneurial talent.