Maharashtra’s vision for a future rooted in innovation, entrepreneurship, and inclusive development took centre stage at the first edition of ET Now Swadesh’s ‘Gems of Maharashtra’, a landmark initiative honouring transformative leadership and sectoral excellence across 31 categories.

Organised by ET Now Swadesh, the Hindi Business News channel from Times Network, the event brought together leading voices from industries like real estate, EV manufacturing, hospitality, education, wellness, digital tech, and more to celebrate Maharashtra’s vibrant economic ecosystem and spotlight individuals who are helping shape the state’s next growth phase.

Addressing the audience as the Chief Guest, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Minister of Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation, Government of Maharashtra, outlined his government’s aggressive roadmap for turning Maharashtra into a global innovation hub.

“India was once known as the ‘Sone Ki Chidiya’ — the Golden Bird — not because of external wealth, but because of the unstoppable spirit of our people,” said Lodha. “Every Indian must embrace entrepreneurship — it’s not optional, it’s essential.”

In what was clearly a pivotal policy announcement, Lodha shared that within the next 15 days, Maharashtra will launch a revolutionary Innovation Policy aimed at building a robust innovation economy. A 100-acre Innovation City is already under development, featuring 14 buildings dedicated to sectors like AI, pharmaceuticals, and automobiles.

He further revealed that a startup education programme is underway with the goal of training 1 lakh students by March 2026, bolstered by 1,000 days of handholding, low-interest working capital loans, and focused startup incubation across rural and urban Maharashtra. The state is targeting the creation of 27,000 startups, with a clear emphasis on women-led ventures, supported by initiatives like the Ahilyabai Holkar Yojana and new Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).

This event, based on a press release by ET Now Swadesh, also honoured remarkable individuals and businesses across 31 diverse sectors, recognising their contributions to Maharashtra’s dynamic growth. From jewellery and real estate to wellness, education, fintech, hospitality, and sports, the honourees demonstrated the sheer diversity and ingenuity driving the state’s economic momentum.

Among the celebrated winners were Kamakhya Jewels Ltd. (Excellence in Jewellery Manufacturing), Mirachem Industries (Excellence in Textile Speciality Chemicals), D. Y. Patil Education Society, Kolhapur, and Tunwal E-Motors Ltd. (Excellence in EV Two Wheeler Manufacturing), along with other notable achievers.

The event concluded with the unveiling of a commemorative coffee table book by Minister Lodha, capturing the spirit of enterprise, innovation, and leadership embodied by the honourees.

‘Gems of Maharashtra’ stands as a testimony to ET Now Swadesh’s commitment to empowering India’s growth story by spotlighting those who drive change and inspire progress across sectors.