CNN-News18 Indian of the Year 2024: Honouring Inspirational Icons
CNN-News18 Indian of the Year 2024 celebrates achievements in entertainment, sports, business, and social change, featuring public voting and expert jury selections
sheetal
CNN-News18 has launched the 14th edition of its prestigious awards platform, Indian of the Year (IOTY), to honour Indians whose achievements inspire generations. Past winners include iconic names like Shah Rukh Khan, Neeraj Chopra, and Virat Kohli.
The 2024 awards will recognise excellence in seven categories: Entertainment, Sports, Rising Sports Star, Youth Icon, Business, Climate Warrior, and Social Change. Each category has five nominees whose contributions in the past year have significantly impacted society.
- Sports Nominees: Olympic medalists Manu Bhaker, Swapnil Kusale, PR Sreejesh, and cricketers Jasprit Bumrah and Smriti Mandhana.
- Rising Sports Stars: Promising talents like Aman Sehrawat, D Gukesh, and Shafali Verma.
- Entertainment Nominees: Film stars Shraddha Kapoor, Vijay Sethupathi, and Pankaj Tripathi, among others.
- Youth Icon Nominees: Celebrities like Vicky Kaushal, Janhvi Kapoor, and changemakers like Nancy Tyagi.
- Business Nominees: Leaders such as Deepinder Goyal (Zomato), Bhavish Aggarwal (Ola), and Rajiv Bajaj (Bajaj Auto).
- Climate Warrior Nominees: Advocates like Vinisha Umashankar and Hina Saifi.
- Social Change Nominees: Activists like Tatwashil Kamble, Ashok Tangade, and singer-philanthropist Palak Muchhal.
The jury comprises eminent personalities like Afroze Shah (environmentalist), Harish Salve (former solicitor general), and Indu Malhotra (former Supreme Court judge). Public voting accounts for 50% of the decision, while the jury contributes the other half, ensuring a balanced selection process.
Smriti Mehra, CEO of English and Business News at Network18, remarked, “IOTY celebrates the spirit of excellence, inspiring millions and providing unmatched value for brands associated with it.” Zakka Jacob, Managing Editor of CNN-News18, added, “The platform honours icons who define India’s spirit, showcasing stories that unite and inspire.”
RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group is the presenting partner, with Reliance Industries as the associate partner. The awards will culminate in a grand finale, where the winners will be revealed and celebrated.
