ETNow.in Business Conclave & Awards 2026 brought together senior leaders and key stakeholders on August 25, 2026, in Mumbai. The event brought together policymakers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and industry experts under the theme, “Where Business Meets Technology.” The conclave was organised in association with OneXtel Communication, with the strategic alliance of Times Network, with the intention of bringing together top-notch leaders from across the country to highlight leadership, facilitate industry conversations, and inspire the next generation of leaders.
As one of ETNow.in’s flagship business platforms, the conclave served as a forum to deliberate on Mumbai’s role as one of India’s leading hubs for manufacturing, infrastructure, innovation, technology, renewable energy and investments. The event also celebrated organisations and business leaders whose achievements have contributed to the city’s thriving economy through the ETNow.in Business Conclave & Awards 2026.
The West Edition focuses on Western India’s role in India’s economic transformation, particularly through financial services, manufacturing, exports, infrastructure, entrepreneurship and innovation.
Mumbai is rapidly growing as India’s financial capital, while Maharashtra’s industrial strength and Gujarat’s manufacturing capabilities are also notable. The conclave discussed a wide range of topics such as infrastructure, digital transformation, capital markets, industrial expansion, global trade and next-generation entrepreneurship are shaping the region’s future.
Key Government Delegates
- Shri Eknath Shinde — Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra
- Adv. Ashish Shelar — Cabinet Minister of Electronics, IT, AI & Cultural Affairs, Government of Maharashtra
- Smt. Pankaja Gopinath Munde — Minister of Environment & Climate Change, Animal Husbandry, Government of Maharashtra
- Shri Chhagan Bhujbal — Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Protection, Government of Maharashtra
- Shri Chandrakant Patil — Minister of Higher & Technical Education, Parliamentary Affairs, Government of Maharashtra
6. Key Discussions
1. The Future of Finance: Reinventing BFSI for a Digital India
Digital banking, AI-driven financial services, embedded finance, wealth management, cybersecurity and financial inclusion.
2. The Disruptors: Reimagining Legacy Industries Through Startup Innovation
Startup-led disruption and innovation across traditional industries.
3. Trading Beyond Borders: Powering India’s Global Commerce Story
Exports, global trade, resilient supply chains, logistics and India’s position in global commerce.
4. The Entrepreneurial Edge: Startups, Innovation & The New Economy
AI, venture capital, deep technology, digital transformation and globally scalable businesses.
5. Building Tomorrow: The Future of Real Estate & Urban Transformation
Infrastructure-led development, real estate, smart urban planning, sustainability and PropTech.
6. Mumbai 3.0 / Urban and Infrastructure Transformation
The agenda also covered Mumbai’s future as a business and logistics hub, including connectivity, urban development and infrastructure.
The conclave recognised organisations and visionary leaders driving innovation, economic progress and business excellence, while contributing to India’s growth story.
Md. Rizvi, Founder & Chairman – OneXtel Communication Media, a division of OneXtel Ltd., highlighted the importance of meaningful conversations, leadership and recognition at the ET NOW.in Business Conclave & Awards – West Edition. He emphasised that Western India continues to be a powerful driver of India’s economic growth through entrepreneurship, innovation, finance and industry. He shared that true leadership is not just about achieving success, but about creating opportunities for others to grow. He also spoke about OneXtel Communication Media’s vision to build impactful platforms that amplify leadership, facilitate industry conversations and inspire the next generation. He congratulated all the winners and reaffirmed OneXtel’s commitment to its strategic alliance with Times Network.
Recognising Excellence
The awards recognised excellence in areas including real estate, financial services, advertising and marketing, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, infrastructure, education, retail, cybersecurity, luxury, and other emerging business segments.
Award Recipients
Pritha Mohinta, Assistant Vice President Regional, Marketing Head | Emerging Leader in Financial Marketing
Trailblazing Marketing & Advertising Pvt Ltd | Prithviraj Roy, Founder & MD | Excellence in Creative Advertising & Brand Strategy
Popcorn Stay Pvt Ltd. | Sujit Yadav, CEO | Excellence in Premium Student Accommodation
Siddheshwar Industries Pvt Ltd. | Yuvraj Vikas Takawane, CEO | Emerging MSME
Aspect Global Ventures | Mr Vinayak Harihar Huddar, Chief Marketing Officer – Digital Marketing | Excellence in Diversified Business Leadership
Deshpande Investments | Rajesh P Deshpande & Rasika Deshpande, Founder/Director | Excellence in Financial Risk Management
Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre | Mr. Rajiv K. Mehta, Permanent Trustee for Life | Excellence in Healthcare Leadership & Legacy
Integrated Enterprises India Pvt Ltd | Devika Gopalan, Sriram Vaidyanathan, Selvakumar Shanmugam & Payal Shah | Excellence in Financial Services Women Empowerment Initiative of the Year
Viren Sanjay Punjab | Viren Punjabi, Investor | Young Visionary Investor
SM Enterprises | Riyaz Noor-Muhammad Pawaskar, Managing Director | Excellence in Marine Fabrication & Manufacturing
Notandas Realty | Harsh Jagwani, Managing Director | Change Maker in Real Estate
Asian Heart Institute | Dr Ramakanta Panda |Distinguished Icon in Healthcare Legend Award
DY Patil University | Ms. Rajlakshmi Vijay Patil, Trustee | Change Maker in Education
Ghate Group | Omkar Sadashiv Ghate, Managing Director | Icon of Construction Chemical Industry
Idonneous Marketing Services Private Limited | Mohit Tiku, Managing Director | Excellence in Trade Marketing Field Force Management
Holyland Marketing P. Ltd. | Kapil Budhraja, Director and CEO | HoReCa Brand of the Year
H.P. Cotton Textile Mills Limited | Kailash Agarwal, Chairman & Managing Director | Excellence in Responsible & Sustainable Manufacturing – Global MSME 2026
Solo by Interakt | Ahshad Jussawala, CEO | Excellence in AI Product Innovation
PRATEEK HASWANI | Emerging Business Leader of the Year 2026
GG Padmakar Tripathi, Deputy Vice President | Outstanding Contribution In Legal Sector
DataNimbus Technologies Pvt Ltd | Raghuram Adiraju, Chief Product Officer | AI Innovation in Corporate Payments
JAP Engineering Pvt. Ltd. | Mr. Paul Kochappu Nilayattingal, Ms. Nirmala Annamarie Issac Nilayattingal & Mr. Sunil Paul Nilayattingal- Directors | Manufacturing Excellence in FMCG & Pharma Packaging Solutions
Axis Bank Ltd. & SimSol Technologies & Services Pvt. Ltd.| Subodh Rane & Deepak Kumar T R Senior Vice President | Founder and Managing Director. Joint Recognition | Lending Lifecycle Excellence Recognition Program
Pakhi Dixit | Business Excellence in Science & Strategic Communications
Dua Lima Retail Private Limited | Vikas Gupta, Group CEO | Excellence in Everyday Value Retailing
Mercuri Group | Sriram Bakthisaran, MD and Group CEO | Excellence in Strategic Leadership & Growth
Datamatics Business Solutions Ltd. | Nishant Kanodia, Chairman | Excellence in Business Process Management (BPM)
Vidyatech Solutions Private Limited | Krishna K Bhardwaj, CEO | MSME Excellence in Technology and Innovation
Ambaliya Mineralogy Pvt Ltd | Devabhai Ambaliya, Founder & CEO | Excellence in Global Mineral Supply Chain and Exports
E-Square Alliance Pvt Ltd | Dr Nalini Gulati, Co-Founder & Director | Excellence in Industrial Safety & Lockout Tagout Solutions – 2026
e-Genie, Hakuhodo Data Labs | Shweta Sharma & Raman Paul, Founder & CEO & Associate Vice President | Excellence in Data-Driven Retail Marketing for Eveready
FieldNet Global Research | Pooja Shukla, CEO | Excellence in Full Service Market Research and Consumer Insights
Invest At Ease Private Limited | Sharad Tandon, Founder & Mentor | Excellence in Customer Centric Wealth Management
PGP Glass Limited | Vijay Shah, MD & CEO | Glass Packaging Innovation Excellence Recognition
All Time Plastics Limited | Kailesh Shah, Chairman and Managing Director | Excellence in Compliance & Sustainability
Lex Visas Private Limited | Vikas Roongta, Founder & CEO and Preeti Roongta, Founder & COO | Excellence in Global Mobility & Corporate Immigration
Advanced Medtech Solutions | Amit Doshi, Vice President – International Business | Market Expansion Strategy Leader
Dr T.P. Rao, Managing Director of Taiyo Kagaku India Pvt. Ltd. | Excellence in Leadership in Functional Food Ingredients
Taiyo Kagaku India Pvt. Ltd. | T Akilesh & Dr T.P. Rao, Sales Director, Managing Director | Excellence in Functional Food Ingredients
Span Media Communications Limited | Sajan Kumar, Creative Director| Excellence in Brand Campaign for Madhya Pradesh Tourism
Shalimar Paints Ltd. | Kuldip Raina and Vishal Bhagat, MD & CEO and General Manager- Marketing and Products | Excellence in Decorative Paints & Surface Solutions
Foxtrot Interactive Pvt. Ltd | Unmesh Vaidya & Mr. Naasir Merchant, Co-founders & Directors | Excellence in MICE & Corporate Event Management
Amy HR Management Services India Pvt Ltd | Manoj Kumar Pundir, Chief Executive Officer | Excellence in Pharma Talent & Leadership Solutions
Mahavir Sys Power Pvt Ltd | Pranav Shah, Director and Yogesh Shah, Director | Excellence in Industrial Power and Data Center Solutions
Elevated World Private Limited | Nikhil Sharma, Founder and CEO | Excellence in Curated Luxury Travel Experiences
Mirai GDC Auto Private Limited | Ankit Chawla, Managing Director | Excellence in Automotive Materials Innovation & Localization
CEE DEE Vacuum Equipment Pvt. Ltd. | Aditya Suhas Dhamale, Business Development Manager/Member of Board | Excellence in Engineering Innovation & Process Technology
Piscis Networks Pvt. Ltd. | Mandar Lokegaonkar, Managing Director & CEO | Karan Balakrishnan, Designation – C.B.O., Manpreet Singh Bas – C.T.O.
| Excellence in Secure SD-WAN Solutions
Eternal Repos |Dr. Shaily Sharma, Founder| Excellence in Creating Dignified Farewell Journeys.
Sanghvi Infotech Pvt. Ltd. (SIPL) | Jigar Sanghvi, Director & CEO | Excellence in Proactive Cyber Defence
Veloces Consulting Services Pvt Limited | Shankaran Chettur, Founder & CEO | Excellence in Industry-Aligned Learning & Workforce Development
Khushboo Scientific Pvt Ltd | Praveen Bachhawat Managing Director & Mohit Bachhawat Technical Director | Excellence in Lab Testing Solutions for QC / R&D
Meghna Realty | Vikram Lodha, Founder and MD | Emerging Developer of the Year – Commercial
Saffron String LLP | Neha Seth Arora, Co Founder | Excellence in Global Luxury Wedding & Events Planning
Meghna Realty| Vikram Lodha, Founder and MD | Emerging Developer of the Year – Commercial
Freecharge Payment Technologies Pvt. Ltd. | Sumit Bhatnagar, MD & CEO | Excellence in Innovation in Financial Technologies
Padrea Global Services Limited | Baibhav Agarwal, Director | Excellence in Coal Trading & Supply Chain Management
Kissht | Mr. Ranvir Singh – Founder and CEO | Excellence in Technology-Driven Financial Services
Kolte Patil Developers Limited | Mahendra Chauhan, Business Head | Developer of the Year – West
The conclave’s role as a platform connecting policymakers, business leaders, investors, entrepreneurs and industry experts, while recognising organisations and leaders contributing to economic growth and business excellence.
(No Times Now Journalists are involved in creation of this article.)