The country’s top business minds and corporate leaders gathered in Mumbai on March 22 for BT MindRush 2025, Business Today’s prestigious annual leadership summit. 

The event, a celebration of resilience, innovation, and strategic foresight, culminated in the unveiling of BT India’s Best CEOs Awards 2025, honouring business stalwarts who have steered their companies through dynamic global challenges.

According to a press release, this year’s most coveted accolade, Business Icon of the Year, was awarded to Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of Aditya Birla Group, in recognition of his visionary leadership and global impact. On the policy front, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar was named Impact Icon of the Year, acknowledging his pivotal role in shaping India’s diplomatic influence on the world stage.

In a nod to enduring business leadership, Harsh Mariwala, Chairman of Marico Ltd, and Anu Aga, former Chairperson of Thermax, were presented with Lifetime Achievement Awards, celebrating their decades of contribution to India’s economic growth.

Among the standout winners was Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty, Chairman of Narayana Health, recognized as Most Trusted Leader for his trailblazing work in healthcare. Deepinder Goyal, Founder & CEO of ETERNAL, was named Resilient CEO, while Praveer Sinha, CEO & MD of Tata Power, took home the Green Growth Visionary title for his efforts in sustainable energy. The startup ecosystem also received its due, with Alakh Pandey, Founder & CEO of Physics Wallah, earning the Startup of the Year recognition.

Several industry pioneers were also honoured for their exceptional contributions, including Dilip Shanghvi, CMD of Sun Pharma, for Services Vanguard, Sudarshan Venu, MD of TVS Motor, for Manufacturing & Retail Excellence, and Motilal Oswal, Group MD & CEO of MOFSL, among The Wealth Makers. Ramesh Juneja, Chairman of Mankind Pharma, was acknowledged as The Deal Maker, while Pieter Elbers, CEO of InterGlobe Aviation (IndiGo), received the Glocal CEO award. The Urban Visionary title was conferred upon Abhyuday Jindal, MD of Jindal Stainless, and Manish Satyanarayan Nuwal, MD & CEO of Solar Industries, was named a Pillar of Progress. Kishor Patil of KPIT Technologies and Sandeep Kalra of Persistent Systems were recognized as Tech Titans, while Sanjeev Singhal, former CMD of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, was named the Bharat PSU Icon.

With the theme “Vucanomics 2025: Thriving in Turmoil – Turning Global Disruptions into Growth,” the summit delved into the challenges and opportunities in today’s volatile economic landscape. Kumar Mangalam Birla, in his keynote address, emphasized the importance of strategy over scale in global expansion, asserting that each overseas acquisition must serve a clear strategic purpose, whether securing raw materials, strengthening supply chain resilience, or tapping into high-margin markets. He expressed confidence in India’s economic trajectory, stating that the country was firmly on course to achieving developed nation status by 2047.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, the event’s Chief Guest, made a significant policy announcement, confirming the rollout of a new national tolling policy before April 1 with “reasonable concessions to commuters.” He also revealed that 36 new green express highways were in the pipeline, offering infrastructure investors an 8.05% return on their projects.

On the foreign policy front, S. Jaishankar spoke about India’s ability to maintain a non-aligned yet deeply engaged stance in global geopolitics. “From Russia and Ukraine to Israel and Iran—and from BRICS to the QUAD—India engages across divides with the mantra of **‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,’” he stated.

The summit also featured key financial leaders weighing in on market stability and economic outlook. Motilal Oswal, a veteran of the equity market, urged measured optimism, noting that despite recent fluctuations, benchmark indices continued to deliver positive one-year returns.

SEBI Chair Tuhin Kanta Pandey reassured investors that regulatory consistency would remain intact, stating that taxation has been rationalized, and stability is key to investor confidence. Meanwhile, NSE MD Ashish Chauhan highlighted the increasing role of domestic investors as a stabilizing force, even as foreign investments fluctuate.

The event attracted over 200 CXOs from across corporate India, featuring 18 influential speakers across 13 sessions. The grand finale saw the unveiling of Business Today’s annual special issue, dedicated to India’s finest corporate leaders. The issue was launched by Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and S. Jaishankar, alongside Kumar Mangalam Birla and India Today Group Chairman Aroon Purie.

BT MindRush 2025 was powered by an impressive lineup of partners, including PwC as the Presenting Partner, Diageo as the Celebration Partner, Polymatech as the Semiconductor Partner, Becquer Solar Studio as the New Energy Partner, Logitech as the Collaboration Partner, GAIL as the Energy Partner, Sofitel Mumbai BKC as the Hospitality Partner, and Laqshya Media Group and Omark Media Around Life as Outdoor Partners.

With thought-provoking discussions, landmark announcements, and an inspiring roster of honorees, BT MindRush 2025 reaffirmed its status as a premier platform for India’s business and policy leaders to shape the country’s economic future.