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  • India’s shining stars gear up for CNN-News18’s Indian of the Year

    India’s shining stars gear up for CNN-News18’s Indian of the Year

    MUMBAI: Who runs the world? Indians do and CNN-News18 is here to prove it once again. The news network is rolling out the red carpet for the 15th edition of its flagship awards, Indian of the Year (IOTY), a celebration of the nation’s most inspiring achievers who’ve turned dreams into revolutions and talent into timeless influence.

    Over the years, the IOTY stage has seen everyone from Shah Rukh Khan to Neeraj Chopra and Virat Kohli walk away with the honour. Now, in its 15th year, the awards return with even greater sparkle, ready to spotlight India’s brightest minds and boldest spirits across nine categories like Entertainment, Sports, Rising Sports Star, Business, Youth Icon, Global Indian, Iconic Woman Achiever, Influencer, and Climate Warrior.

    Each category boasts five stellar nominees who’ve left an indelible mark this year. The Sports category is packed with champions like D Gukesh, Shubman Gill, Avinash Sable, Smriti Mandhana, and Manpreet Singh, while the Rising Sports Star segment features up-and-coming powerhouses Suruchi Phogat, Kush Maini, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Pooja Singh, and Divya Deshmukh.

    In Entertainment, expect a clash of charisma between Rashmika Mandanna, Mohanlal, Laxman Utekar (Chhaava), Arijit Singh, and Jaideep Ahlawat. Meanwhile, the Youth Icon list brims with dynamism from Ananya Panday and Ishaan Khatter to comedian Zakir Khan and naval trailblazers Lt. Cdr Dilna K and Roopa A.

    Online sensations get their due in the Influencer category with Raj Shamani, Kamiya Jani, Khan Sir, Parul Gulati, and Revant Himatsingka leading the charge. The Business nominees include entrepreneurial giants like Falguni Nayar (Nykaa), Albinder Dhindsa (Blinkit), Rajesh Jejurikar (Mahindra & Mahindra), Roshni Nadar Malhotra (HCLTech), and Baba Kalyani (Bharat Forge).

    Fighting the good fight for the planet, the Climate Warrior nominees Garvita Gulhati, Aditya Mukarji, Morningstar Khongthaw, Vidyut Mohan, and Vinay Manchala — are being recognised for turning sustainability into a movement. Meanwhile, the Iconic Woman Achiever list celebrates the grit and grace of Dr Sanghamitra Pati, Ashwini Bhide, Chhonzin Angmo, Radha Bahin Bhatt, and K Kamini Maheshwari.

    And proving that the Indian spirit knows no borders, the Global Indian category shines on the world stage with Payal Kapadia, Leena Nair, Manish Malhotra, Hanumankind, and Chef Vijay Kumar.

    The winners will be chosen by an elite jury panel featuring names as illustrious as Sanjiv Goenka, DY Chandrachud, Indu Malhotra, Prasoon Joshi, Mahesh Jethmalani, Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, Amitabh Kant, Shefali Shah, Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Gagan Narang, and Lara Dutta, a line-up that’s as stellar as the nominees themselves.

    Reflecting on the milestone Network18 CEO of english & business news Smriti Mehra said, “The 15th edition of CNN-News18 Indian of the Year is a special milestone for all of us. It’s an opportunity to celebrate individuals whose passion, resilience, and creativity inspire millions across the country and beyond.”

    Adding to that, CNN-News18 managing editor Zakka Jacob said, “This year, we’re introducing three new awards to reflect the changing world better whether it’s Indians making a global impact, influencers reshaping conversations, or extraordinary women breaking barriers.”

    Backed by partners including the RPSG Group (Presenting Partner), and Polycab, HDFC Securities, and Reliance (Associate Partners), the grand finale in November 2025 promises a celebration of spirit, strength, and stories that continue to shape modern India.

    Because in a nation bursting with brilliance, choosing one Indian of the Year might just be the toughest job of them all.

  • Bengaluru gets set to run the town with News18 Kannada’s Namma Run

    Bengaluru gets set to run the town with News18 Kannada’s Namma Run

    MUMBAI: Bengaluru, lace up the city’s about to swap traffic jams for running shoes. News18 Kannada has announced its debut Namma Run, South Edition, a first-of-its-kind city marathon that hits the streets on 28 September 2025, promising to be as much a celebration of community spirit as it is of fitness.

    The action begins at St. Joseph’s Ground (opposite UB City), with none other than Kannada cinema’s beloved Karunada Chakravarthy, Shiva Rajkumar, inaugurating the event. His presence brings a touch of star power and local pride, setting the stage for what aims to be a landmark fitness festival in the heart of Bengaluru.

    Far from being just a serious runner’s affair, Namma Run is designed as a carnival of inclusivity. Kids can sprint through 1 km and 2 km fun runs or take on a 3 km timed run, while families and grandparents can stroll the 3 km walkathon together. Adults can test their endurance in the 5 km and 10 km fun runs, or step up to the challenge with 5K and 10K timed runs that will bring out Bengaluru’s competitive spirit.

    In short, whether you’re a sneaker-clad school kid, a weekend jogger, or a full-blown marathon junkie, there’s a track waiting with your name on it.

    Bengaluru is just the start. This is the inaugural edition of Namma Run, which will soon set pace across South India with Hyderabad in November, Chennai in December, and Kochi in early 2026 already on the cards. Registration for the Bengaluru run is now open, inviting the city to make history with its first step.

    No marathon is complete without support, and Namma Run comes powered by an impressive lineup. Casagrand leads as presenting sponsor, with Amity University stepping in as co-presenting sponsor. Fybros Smart Electrical Creations and Reliance power the initiative, while Off Limits adds the sporting gear as merchandise partner. Keeping health in check is Narayana Health, while Decathlon takes the title of sports partner. Special support comes from Prominence, Repose Mattress, and Meenakshi TMT, with Twin Birds joining as associate partner.

    At its core, Namma Run is about more than kilometres, it’s about community. By combining inclusivity, competition, and culture, the event seeks to transform a Sunday into a festival of fitness. With music, energy, and the city’s unmistakable buzz, 28 September promises to be a day Bengaluru will remember as the start of something bigger.

    So, whether you’re chasing a personal best or just out for the joy of it, one thing’s certain: Bengaluru is about to run the town.

  • Mythik names Sid Kedia COO to drive its ‘Disney from the East’ vision

    Mythik names Sid Kedia COO to drive its ‘Disney from the East’ vision

    MUMBAI: From Marvel fan to myth-maker, Sidharth Kedia is now set to script his own epic. Entertainment start-up Mythik, which has declared its ambition to be the “Disney from the East,” has appointed the seasoned media and gaming leader as its new chief operating officer. Kedia isn’t just another boardroom name, his résumé reads like a saga of scaling. At Nodwin, South Asia’s largest esports company, he grew revenue 10x, expanded the business from 1 to 8 countries, raised 50 million dollars, and boosted valuation a staggering 28x. At Jiogames, he spearheaded the growth of Reliance’s gaming arm. As chief strategy officer at Viacom18, he helped expand regional TV and strengthened OTT play.

    His career highlights also include leading Mukesh Ambani’s project management office during Jio’s telecom launch, overseeing Network18’s integration into Reliance, and co-founding Ambit Pragma Ventures, where he raised 150 million dollars for media and entertainment investments.

    Armed with a Chartered Accountancy degree, a six sigma black belt from GE, and an MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business, Kedia brings both precision and creative flair to the role.

    Mythik’s founder and CEO Jason Kothari, called Kedia a “rare combination of disruptive strategist and operator” with the breadth to reimagine how Eastern mythology can capture global audiences.

    For Kedia, the mission is personal. “Since childhood, I’ve been captivated by these stories my grandparents told me. As a Marvel fan, I’ve often wondered why our superheroes never got the global spotlight they deserve. We plan to change that at Mythik,” he said.

    With Kedia at the operational helm, Mythik isn’t just betting on myth, it’s gearing up to make Eastern legends the next big pop-culture phenomenon.

  • Global broadband subs hit 1.52 billion as fibre dominates

    Global broadband subs hit 1.52 billion as fibre dominates

    MUMBAI: Global broadband subscribers surged past 1.52 billion in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 1.21 per cent quarterly rise as South and East Asia drove expansion, according to Point Topic data. Yet the picture remains patchy, with 22 countries—up from 14 in the previous quarter—seeing subscriber numbers fall as consumers shift to mobile broadband or grapple with economic headwinds and market saturation.

    India topped the largest 20 fixed broadband markets with a blistering 4.7 per cent quarterly growth rate, whilst Britain stood out as an outlier, suffering a 0.3 per cent decline as fibre rollout failed to offset broader connection losses.

    Fibre-to-the-home and building connections now command 72.34 per cent of global fixed broadband subscriptions, cementing the technology’s dominance. Other fixed technologies saw their market shares shrink, bar satellite and fixed wireless access, which bucked the trend with spectacular annual growth of 47.4 per cent and 29.9 per cent respectively.

    The satellite boom was largely driven by Starlink breaching the 5 million customer mark, though growth has slowed due to capacity constraints and pricing pressures. Competition is set to intensify as Amazon’s Project Kuiper prepares for launch by year-end, with Britain expected among the first markets to go live following Ofcom approvals. Residential plans currently start at around £75 monthly.

    Fixed wireless access is reshaping rural connectivity, particularly in America and India, with aggressive investments from Reliance, Bharti, T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T driving adoption.

    Industry consolidation is accelerating, with potential mega-deals including Charter’s merger with Cox in America and a possible carve-up of France’s SFR among Orange, Bouygues and Iliad. Meanwhile, sub-Saharan Africa represents untapped potential, attracting significant infrastructure investment targeting broadband expansion.

  • Adani tops growth charts with 82 per cent brand value surge

    Adani tops growth charts with 82 per cent brand value surge

    MUMBAI: The Adani Group has gone from strength to superbrand, topping the growth charts with a jaw-dropping 82 per cent spike in brand valuation — the highest among India’s top 100 brands in 2025, according to Brand Finance’s annual rankings.

    Brand Adani’s value has surged from $3.55 billion in 2024 to $6.46 billion (Rs 55,000 crore) this year, marking an increase larger than its entire 2023 valuation. That’s not just growth — that’s compounding on steroids.

    The jump has propelled Adani three notches up the rankings, landing it at No. 13 on the coveted list, up from 16 last year. The report attributes this leap to the Group’s strategic clarity, resilience in the face of global volatility, and commitment to sustainable growth — a rare trifecta in today’s corporate climate.

    Meanwhile, Tata Group cemented its throne as India’s most valuable brand, becoming the first Indian brand ever to breach the $30 billion mark. It continues to lead the pack on sustainability perception value, while Infosys tops the charts in positive gap value – a measure of consumer trust outperforming expectations.

    Luxury hotel chain Taj held onto its title as India’s strongest brand with a AAA+ rating and a brand strength index (BSI) score of 92.2/100.

    Food delivery major Zomato also made its debut in the top 50, riding on strong brand equity among urban consumers.

    The 2025 edition of the Brand Finance India 100 saw double-digit growth across the top 10 brands, including Infosys, LIC, Hdfc and Reliance, indicating that India’s brandscape is not just expanding – it’s accelerating.

    In a year where perception met performance, Adani’s sharp rise signals that brand value in India is increasingly built on scale, strategy, and sustainable swagger.

    Speaking on the same, Brand Finance’s MD Asia Pacific, Alex Haigh said, “Adani emerged as the fastest-growing Indian brand in 2025. In our assessment, brand Adani’s rise is underpinned by its strong financial performance coupled with high brand equity scores. It is a clear reflection of their investment in integrated infrastructure and the renewables sector.”
     

  • Brand new day as Epic Brand Map goes global with India as launchpad

    Brand new day as Epic Brand Map goes global with India as launchpad

     MUMBAI: What’s in a brand? Quite a lot, if you ask the folks at the newly minted Epic Brand Institute. The Epic Brand Institute (EBI) has officially stepped onto the global stage with the public launch of its flagship framework the Epic Brand Map (EBM), a system designed to bring Evocativeness, Precision, Insight and Clarity (yes, that’s EPIC) to the chaotic world of brand-building.

    Already battle-tested by corporate heavyweights like the Tata Group, Aditya Birla Group, Reliance, Mahindra, HCL, and international giants like Coca-cola, Medtronic, Sun Life Financial, Mars, Walmart and Nokia, the framework is finally being made available to the wider world of founders, marketers, consultants and creatives.

    Created by global brand strategist Saurabh Uboweja, also the founder of BOD Consulting, the EBM will now form the core of EBI’s in-person training cohorts. The first will be hosted in New Delhi from 9–11 June 2025 at the India Habitat Centre, and a second will follow in Dubai from 19–21 September 2025.

    “We’re launching not just a course, but a global movement,” said Uboweja. “After years of working behind the scenes with some of the biggest names in business, we’re now opening the EPIC Brand Map to a new generation of brand-led business builders.”

    The inaugural Delhi edition will be an intimate affair, limited to 30 handpicked founders and practitioners looking to sharpen their brand-building acumen. Dubai, meanwhile, is set to attract a mix of Middle East and South Asian brand professionals hoping to join the ranks of EPIC strategists.

    With storytelling getting louder, attention spans shrinking, and differentiation harder than ever, EBI’s pitch is simple stop winging it and start mapping it. The message is clear: if your brand strategy feels like a game of darts in the dark, it might be time to go EPIC.

  • Chirag Alawadhi takes the leap from agency life to advisory heights

    Chirag Alawadhi takes the leap from agency life to advisory heights

    MUMBAI: From pitch decks to knowledge stacks Chirag Alawadhi is switching gears, not goodbye notes. After nearly a decade in the trenches of digital marketing, Chirag Alawadhi has stepped down as co-founder and CEO of The Leapfrog Network, closing a chapter that began in December 2021. But don’t expect another agency launch. Instead, Alawadhi is taking a wider lens approach diving into content ecosystems, strategic consulting, and marketing tech for a new generation of brands and builders.

    Alawadhi announced his decision on LinkedIn, marking the end of a journey that started as a solo founder and scaled into a full-fledged creative agency. “After 9 years of building businesses, I’m now focused on building the infrastructure and knowledge systems that will empower the next generation of marketers and entrepreneurs,” he wrote.

    His résumé reads like a digital marketer’s highlight reel: 1,300 campaigns delivered, over 7 million dollars in revenue generated, and content networks reaching more than 10 million followers. Along the way, he’s partnered with marquee names like Emami, Lenskart, Airtel, Reliance, OTT Play, and Tata Motors.

    What started with basic tools and delayed wins evolved into an agency known for bold campaigns and real community engagement. “This isn’t goodbye to the industry that shaped me, it’s a shift toward deeper impact,” Alawadhi said, reflecting on his departure as a move away from operations and towards enabling transformation at scale.

    His exit also mirrors a growing trend among agency veterans: trading day-to-day grind for advisory and ecosystem-building roles. Alawadhi joins a cohort of leaders looking beyond billing cycles and into future-facing industry infrastructure.

    Under his leadership, The Leapfrog Network carved out a niche in storytelling and strategy. While Alawadhi steps away, the agency rooted in its founding mission to create meaningful brand connections is poised for its next phase under fresh leadership.

    As for Alawadhi? He’s taking the leap again only this time, it’s beyond the agency playbook.

  • Varun T Wanvari circles back to Himalaya Wellness

    Varun T Wanvari circles back to Himalaya Wellness

    MUMBAI: Varun T Wanvari has pulled off corporate India’s latest U-turn, returning to Himalaya Wellness Company in May after an 18-month sojourn through Amazon’s retail machinery.

    “Some journeys come a full circle,” the category manager declared on LinkedIn, clearly pleased with his homecoming. He’s not wrong—Wanvari previously managed lotions and creams at The Himalaya Drug Company from 2016 to 2018.

    His career reads like FMCG bingo: systems engineer at Tata Consultancy Services, marketing intern for Hot Wheels at Mattel, brand duties at Reliance’s Hamleys, and five years flogging Good Day biscuits and Toastea at Britannia Industries. Amazon beckoned in late 2023 as senior category manager, but the wellness world’s siren call proved stronger.

    “Grateful for the continued trust,” Wanvari said, deploying enough LinkedIn enthusiasm to power a small ashram. His hashtag-heavy post (#NewBeginnings #WellnessWithPur) suggests genuine excitement about returning to products you can actually smell.

    Whether he’ll apply Amazon’s data wizardry to ancient ayurvedic wisdom remains to be seen. This boomerang has landed exactly where it started—with considerably more corporate spin.

  • A fresh twist in Powai as Freshpik spices up Brookfield’s retail mix

    A fresh twist in Powai as Freshpik spices up Brookfield’s retail mix

    MUMBAI: From aisle to style, Powai just got tastier. Brookfield Properties has rolled out the red carpet quite literally for Reliance’s premium gourmet grocery store, Freshpik, now open at Spectra in Downtown Powai. Think artisanal cheeses, global delicacies, and fresh produce and toss in a coffee bar and live culinary counters for good measure.

    It’s not your regular supermarket run. Freshpik’s sleek layout invites shoppers to linger, browse, and indulge in what can only be described as a wellness-forward, sensory delight. With a focus on interactive experiences and conscious consumption, this marks Freshpik’s second store and its very first foray into Mumbai’s eastern suburbs.

    And if that’s not enough star power, wellness icon Malaika Arora added her sparkle to the store’s launch, elevating the glamour quotient and reinforcing the brand’s lifestyle ethos.

    For Brookfield Properties, which manages over 55 million sq. ft. of real estate across India, this is more than just retail therapy. Downtown Powai, already buzzing with workspaces, eateries, and shopping, now has another reason to draw in discerning Mumbaikars.

    With this new addition, Brookfield continues to blend commerce with culture, offering not just places to shop or work, but places to truly live. And for Powai’s residents and visitors? Grocery runs may never be the same again.

  • Skyworth Digital appoints new vice president to lead expansion

    Skyworth Digital appoints new vice president to lead expansion

    MUMBAI: After steering Skyworth Digital’s India operations for seven years, Jayaprakash Thulasiraman has been tapped to lead the company’s new business strategy as vice president. The television and broadband equipment maker announced the appointment on LinkedIn, where it outlined the veteran’s remit: emerging business incubation, strategic partnerships, government affairs and “special assignments that call for experience, insight—and a spark of bold thinking”.

    Thulasiraman brings three decades of experience from technology and telecommunications heavyweights including Reliance, Vodafone, Motorola and Huawei. During his tenure as Skyworth’s general manager for India, the firm secured a coveted position among Tata Play’s top three partners in 2025.

    The appointment comes as Skyworth seeks to shore up its position in the broadband-focused digital television market. Under Thulasiraman’s leadership as country manager, the firm expanded its portfolio beyond traditional set-top boxes to include broadband customer premise equipment and fixed wireless access devices—a strategic pivot to capture the growing convergence of television and internet services.

    Before joining Skyworth in 2018, Thulasiraman held leadership roles at Optiva, Amdocs and Huawei, where he managed accounts for major Indian telecoms. Earlier in his career, he oversaw Vodafone India’s terminal business, orchestrating the first official iPhone launch in the country in 2007.