NDTV hosted the much-anticipated Indian Of The Year 2024, a grand celebration of excellence, courage, and innovation, recognizing individuals and groups who have left an indelible mark across diverse domains.

Held in New Delhi on December 7, the event brought together icons from politics, business, sports, entertainment, and beyond, spotlighting their remarkable contributions to shaping the nation’s future. The glittering event witnessed the presence of industry stalwarts, cultural icons, and policymakers, a media statement from NDTV stated.

The honourees were selected through a rigorous process led by an esteemed panel of experts, with Grant Thornton’s support as the trusted Consulting Partner.

The event kick-started with the keynote address of Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister, Information & Broadcasting, Railways and Electronics & IT, where he said, “Those who are not seen on TV or in headlines are also awarded here.”

Dr. S. Jaishankar Minister of External Affairs, who was conferred with the India First Award, in his address mentioned, “It’s a good moment to be India’s External Affairs Minister… Democracy has allowed cross-sections of the society equal representation – bringing to the fore voices from outside cities, and this has boosted India’s growth story.”

Piyush Goyal, Minister orf Commerce and Industry spoke about “world is seeing the India story unfold”. He added: “It’s a moment in history that we are privileged to be a part of.”

Actor Rajkummar Rao clinched NDTV’s Actor of the Year award with the award being presented by industrialist Srikanth Bolla, the real-life inspiration behind the actor’s ‘Srikanth’movie.

Comedian, actor and entertainer Kapil Sharma, who won NDTV’s Global Entertainer Of The Year award, observed that ‘making people smile has become difficult now…but I feel a sense of belonging when

I meet people, they feel like I am one of them’.

On the occasion, Sanjay Pugalia, NDTV’s Director and Editor-in-Chief, said that the NDTV Indian Of The Year is more than just an award; it is a recognition of the individuals who inspire the nation to dream

bigger and work harder for a better tomorrow. We feel delighted when people tell us that NDTV Indian Of The Year can easily be referred as the private sector’s Padma award due to its rigour in recognizing the right visionaries and change agents of India.”

The complete list of winners:

BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR

Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson, HCL Technologies

CLIMATE IMPACT OF THE YEAR

Swati Nayak, Agricultural Scientist

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR

Hitesh Doshi, CMD, Waaree Energies

INDIA FIRST

Dr. S. Jaishankar, Minister, External Affairs, GOI

SCIENCE ICON OF THE YEAR

Professor Annapurni Subramaniam, Director, Indian Institute of Astrophysics

SOCIAL IMPACT OF THE YEAR

Namo Drone Didi Yojana

INDIA’s CENTURION

Gautam Hari Singhania, CMD, Raymond Group

INDIAN OF THE YEAR – ENERGY TRANSITION

Vijay Murugesh Nirani, Founder and Managing Director, TruAlt Bioenergy

YOUTH ICON OF THE YEAR

Ananya Panday, Actor

GOLD VISIONARY – THE REAL HERO OF INDIA

Mohammed Abdul Wohab and Sabitri Pal, SHIS Foundation.

BREAKOUT CELEBRITY OF THE YEAR

Shalini Passi, Philanthropist & Art Collector

HEALTH LEADER OF THE YEAR

Dr Gagandeep Kang, Adjunct Professor, CMC Vellore

ACTOR OF THE YEAR

Rajkummar Rao

SPORTS PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

India’s 2024 Paralympics Team

GLOBAL ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Kapil Sharma

NDTV INDIAN OF THE YEAR

India’s Polling Booth Officers