Those Who Stood Their Ground

FOR FOUR EDITIONS in a row BW Businessworld has pursued a quest for young leaders who have braced up to the tests of the times and blazed a path ahead for themselves. This quest is driven by our belief that true leaders flout the challenges that crises throw their way. The year 2020 shook the world and brought many businesses to a halt, but it simultaneously accel­erated the pace of business in many other sectors of the econ­omy. Companies changed their strategies, transformed structure and reimagined the traditional way of doing business. 

BW Businessworld in associa­tion with BW Disrupt announced the 40 final winners of the 4th Edition of BW Businessworld 40 under 40 most influential entre­preneurs in India. The winners were chosen by an eminent jury who were themselves some of the country’s path blazing entrepre­neurs. In the panel of judges were Bhaskar Pramanik, Senior Advisor, Rothschild & Co., Board Member & Independent Director TCNS Clothing Company; Saurav Banerjee, Venture Partner, Kalaari Capital; Rohit Bhayana, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Lumis Partner; Ashutosh Garg, Storyteller, Author, Business Coach; Anil Ahuja, Founder, 88tuition; Kartik Radia, Managing Partner, Mazars India LLP; Sanjay Kadaveru, Founder & President, Action For India; Vani Gupta Dandia, Founder, CherryPeachPlum Growth Partners; Dr. A Velumani, Creator, Thyrocare; Sunandan Bhanja Chaudhury, Executive Partner, The Taplow Group and Joji George, Co-Founder, Gonuts.com. 

“Struggle leads to success”, was the message from Anurag Batra, Chairman & Editor-in-Chief, BW Businessworld & exchange4media Group at the BW Disrupt 40 under 40 Young Achievers Summit and Awards 2021, that took place virtu­ally. The thought echoed through the event. The winners reiterated this thought when they narrated their own stories of striving through road­blocks. They spoke of innovative changes in products, in internal operational framework, recruiting the right talent and developing the requisite software. 

Technology and its rapid adoption across sectors has transformed busi­nesses and personal lives. These technological innovations have also given rise to a new robust and thriv­ing startup ecosystem that has already become a major contributor to the national economy. Leaders from an extensive range of technol­ogy companies, like fintech, e-com­merce, social network, edtech, healthtech, food and beverage and social enterprises, were shortlisted as the final winners. 

Topics of the day were debated threadbare at nine panel discussions. Keynote speakers dwelt on issues like technology, digitisation, personal risks and customer service.