VMPL
New Delhi [India], October 7: India’s rapidly evolving business and professional landscape is being shaped by a new generation of ambitious individuals creating meaningful impact across diverse industries. From healthcare and technology to wellness, energy, media and entrepreneurship, these 10 rising personalities are driving innovation, building impactful ventures and contributing to India’s growth story. Their vision, determination and industry expertise reflect the changing face of leadership and highlight the inspiring journeys of individuals who are making a mark across sectors.
1. Sustainability Communicator of the Year 2026: Sunil Sushila Sharma Champions Rural India

Veteran journalist, rural communication strategist and media entrepreneur Sunil Sushila Sharma has been recognised as “Sustainability Communicator / Influencer of the Year 2026” at the BW Sustainability Awards 2026. His work focuses on agriculture, farmers, rural development and environmental sustainability.
Sharma’s journalism highlights five interconnected pillars of rural India: Forests, Soil, Water, Mountains, and Farmers . Through television, digital media and grassroots storytelling, he has worked to bring greater attention to farmers, natural farming, water conservation, soil health and rural entrepreneurship.
He is also the founder of Farmfare TV, envisioned as a 24x7 agritainment OTT platform dedicated to farming, rural India and agri-business. His initiatives include Mitti Ke Mahanayak, Jangal Mitti Jal Pahad, Ram Ram Sa and Jai Jai Kisan.
With more than 500 agriculture and rural-focused programmes, Sharma continues to promote solution-driven journalism and create a stronger national conversation around sustainable agriculture and rural transformation.
2. Shubham Sharma: Driving India’s Hydrogen and Clean-Energy Innovation

Shubham Sharma, Co-Founder and CEO of Hydrotech Clean Energy Pvt Ltd, is contributing to India’s growing hydrogen and clean-energy sector through innovative HHO-based technologies. Since 2013, he has led the development of solutions focused on engine Decarbonising , fuel efficiency, emission reduction, and sustainable operations.
Hydrotech Clean Energy Pvt Ltd specializes in engine decarbonization machines, hydrogen fuel-saving systems for diesel generators, and on-demand HHO solutions for automotive and industrial applications. The company is also witnessing growing demand for its HHO solutions for boilers and furnaces, reflecting the expanding adoption of hydrogen-based technologies across industrial applications. With a network of more than 2,000 decarbonization centers across India and exports to over 18 countries, Hydrotech has established a growing international presence.
Recognized among the Forbes India DGEMS Select 200 Companies of 2025, Hydrotech continues to strengthen its clean-tech portfolio. With three granted patents and two pending applications, the company is advancing hydrogen technology and positioning itself as a Best manufacturer of Engine Decarbon machine in the evolving clean-energy industry.
3. Dt. Kajal Aggarwal: Transforming Weight Loss Through Sustainable Nutrition & Women’s Wellness

Dt. Kajal Aggarwal is a renowned Indian dietitian, nutritionist, and wellness entrepreneur known for her expertise in sustainable weight management and women’s health. Through her nutrition practice, she and her team have helped 30,000+ clients across 28 countries achieve healthier and more sustainable lifestyle goals.
With a growing digital community of 314K+ Instagram followers and an additional 85K+ followers focused on fertility and women’s health, Kajal has established a strong presence in India’s nutrition and wellness industry.
Her approach focuses on personalised nutrition, Indian home-cooked food, lifestyle changes, and understanding factors such as eating habits, sleep, stress, gut health, and hormonal concerns. Her areas of expertise include weight loss, PCOS nutrition, thyroid nutrition, gut health, women’s wellness, and fertility nutrition.
Through consultations, educational content, and digital platforms, Dt. Kajal Aggarwal continues to make practical, evidence-informed nutrition more accessible worldwide.
4. Meenal Malhotra Is Making Room for Childhood in Indian Fashion

“Why should kids grow up?” is the question behind Meenal Malhotra’s Anaario. The Indian children’s wear brand takes the energy of childhood seriously, making clothes that are expressive enough for children to enjoy and considered enough for parents to choose with confidence.
The collection spans newborns to 16 year olds, with everyday clothing, festive pieces, a bamboo baby range and bamboo innerwear. Fabric choices follow the garment: organic cotton features across the range, while selected occasion wear uses organic handloom cotton. Colour, print and comfort are central to the design, without asking children to dress like miniature adults.
Anaario makes each piece after it is ordered. Families can request adjustments to size, length, colour, fabric and design, including matching outfits for siblings and parents. Made to order production gives those choices a practical place in the process: the garment is made for the child who will wear it.
Malhotra’s idea is straightforward: childhood has its own character, and children’s clothing should make space for it. Anaario turns that idea into a wardrobe that feels playful, personal and easy to wear.
5. Sangeet Sejpal: Connecting Indian Industry with Global Business Opportunities

Sangeet Sejpal, Director of Shezle Imperio Private Limited, is an emerging Indian business leader focused on building strategic connections across the chemical and industrial ecosystem.
Through Shezle Imperio, Sejpal works with manufacturers, industrial enterprises and commercial partners across chemicals, petrochemicals, specialty materials, oils and fats, and industrial by-products. His approach centers on connecting capabilities, resources and markets to create long-term and mutually valuable business opportunities.
With an international outlook spanning India, Mauritius, Africa and emerging global markets, Sejpal focuses on developing cross-border relationships, facilitating market opportunities and strengthening commercial partnerships.
His vision extends beyond conventional trade building a globally connected business platform that brings together industry expertise, international markets and strategic partnerships. Combining entrepreneurial thinking, sector knowledge and global ambition, Sangeet Sejpal represents a new generation of Indian business leaders creating meaningful connections across industries and borders.
6. Anand Rathore: Shaping the Future of AI Ways of Working™

As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms businesses, governments, and society, Anand Rathore is emerging as a voice focused on a question beyond AI adoption: How should humans and organisations work with AI responsibly?
Anand is the pioneer of AIWoW™ – AI Ways of Working™ and the President of the Artificial Intelligence Ways of Working Council (AIWoW Council), an initiative focused on building practical approaches for responsible, human-centric and sustainable AI adoption. His work aims to bridge the gap between AI capability and organisational responsibility by addressing governance, human accountability, ethics, sustainability and the evolving relationship between humans and intelligent systems.
A program management leader with 18+ years of experience in digital transformation and enterprise delivery, Anand combines finance, business, technology, and legal perspectives. His academic background includes an MBA in Finance, PGDBF, LLB in Corporate Law and B.Com, complemented by professional credentials including PMP®, PRINCE2® Agile®, Scrum Master, and DevOps Practitioner.
He is the author of the 456-page book AIWoW™ – AI Ways of Working™ and has published research on Empathic Intelligence and the AI Lifecycle Loop.
Through the AIWoW Council, Rathore is bringing together leaders, researchers, academics, and professionals to shape practical standards, certification, research, and responsible AI leadership positioning “how we work with AI” as an equally important conversation as “what AI can do.” Explore www.aiwowcouncil.org.
7.Dr. Aarti: The Visionary Minds Behind ADNA Naturals and India’s Herbal Baby Care Revolution

At a time when many choose to slow down, Dr. Aarti chose to innovate for the next generation alongside her daughter, Dr. Namrata. Holding a PhD from NLSIU Bangalore and having completed post-doctoral research at Stetson University, Florida, Dr. Aarti dedicated years to child welfare, even authoring the acclaimed book “Protection of Children from Internet Harms: A Global Concern (Cyberbullying)”. Today, Dr. Aarti's lifelong commitment to child safety has transitioned into the physical world of clean infant skincare, co-founding ADNA Naturals with Dr. Namrata based on a strict brand ethos: Traditionally Trusted, Scientifically Tested.
The idea for ADNA Naturals sparked when Dr. Aarti’s grandson suffered a minor fall. Dr. Aarti prepared a traditional kitchen paste of herbs used by grandmothers for generations. But one haunting thought stayed with her: what happens when NaniMaa is not around?
Dr. Aarti quickly realized that modern, busy parents—like Dr. Namrata, who balanced a demanding career as an elite researcher with winning Mrs. India 2021—simply do not have the time to forage and grind fresh herbs from scratch. Finding a total lack of clean, ready-made natural alternatives on retail shelves, Dr. Aarti and Dr. Namrata set out together to bridge this market gap.
"Our traditional knowledge embodies a wealth of wisdom used over millennia. We wanted to preserve these customary practices in a way that fits seamlessly into the bustling schedule of today’s parents," notes the founding team.
This became the ultimate inspiration behind ADNA Naturals—bringing NaniMaa wisdom into convenient, contemporary baby care by combining traditional ingredients with modern product development and strict safety considerations. Together, Dr. Aarti and Dr. Namrata turned generations of care, deep research, and intuitive motherhood into a true legacy.
Proudly known as a "NaniMaa & Mom Brand," ADNA Naturals is uniquely co-founded by this powerhouse mother-daughter duo of academic researchers. While building the brand's foundation, Dr. Namrata leveraged her extensive global travels to interview mothers and study baby skin and hair formulations worldwide. This deep research by Dr. Namrata, combined with Dr. Aarti’s generational wisdom, directly led to their flagship breakthrough: the Herbal Baby Balm for Hurts & Falls.
Together, Dr. Aarti and Dr. Namrata perfectly blend traditional Indian heritage with contemporary scientific safety standards. While Dr. Aarti’s journey delivers a powerful message that age does not limit ambition, the leadership of Dr. Namrata ensures the brand remains deeply relevant for today's generation. By combining life experience, global research, and a shared passion for child safety, Dr. Aarti and Dr. Namrata have successfully transformed a grandmother's love into a trusted, modern baby-care revolution.
8. Dr. Omkar Prasad Baidya: Advancing Universal Ethics and World Peace

Dr. Omkar Prasad Baidya is a distinguished Indian physician, philosopher, and peace advocate known for his work on universal ethics, morality, and world peace. Originally from Tripura, he completed his MBBS and MD from the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal, and later pursued advanced research at King George’s Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow, under an ICMR Fellowship.
Dr. Baidya’s philosophy explores morality as a biological and evolutionary trait, emphasizing values such as compassion, cooperation, and non-violence. He believes that ethical education can help develop a more peaceful and responsible global society.
He has authored books including A Path to World Peace, Morality Beyond Human Brain, and Universal Ethics and World Peace. His contributions to ethics and humanity have also received various recognitions, including the Mahatma Gandhi Nobel Peace Award and Asia Peace Prize.
9. Krish ‘KungFuKrish’: 16-Year-Old Founder Launches 100,000-Km Virtual Walkathon for Global Peace

Krish, popularly known as “KungFuKrish,” has launched a 100,000-Km Virtual Walkathon for Global Peace through the Walk With Me Movement. At just 16, the young founder and CEO is taking the concept of city-based walkathons to a global audience by inviting people to walk from wherever they are and contribute their kilometres toward one collective goal.
The initiative aims to bring together 10,000 participants and achieve a combined walking distance of 100,000 kilometres. According to figures provided by the organisers, the campaign has already received nearly 1,000 registrations and accumulated around 2,000 kilometres.
Participants can walk in their neighbourhoods, schools, workplaces, parks or other suitable locations and submit their walking distance as part of the campaign.
The initiative follows two physical walkathons organised by Krish and the Walk With Me Movement in major Indian metropolitan cities. The virtual format allows participation beyond geographical boundaries.
Built around the message “Every Step Counts,” the campaign presents walking as a simple, accessible way for people to participate in a collective symbolic movement for global peace.
10. Ravi Arya: The Beverage Industry Leader Elevating Coffee, Hospitality & Customer Experience

Ravi Arya is a hospitality and beverage industry professional with over 15 years of experience spanning workplace beverages, speciality coffee, tea, retail operations, and F&B. He currently serves as Deputy General Manager – Beverage Business & Vending Operations at Compass Group India.
Recognised for his expertise in coffee sourcing, roasting, brewing, sensory evaluation, retail operations, business excellence, and customer experience, Ravi is passionate about elevating beverage culture through innovation, sustainability, quality standards, and employee engagement.
Throughout his career, Ravi has driven beverage innovation, operational excellence, sourcing, and customer experience initiatives across corporate workplaces. His approach combines industry expertise with a strong focus on delivering quality beverages and enhancing customer experiences.
Previously, at Dunkin’, Ravi was part of the expansion team that opened 18 restaurants in two years, earning the Dunkin Service Excellence Award. His contributions to the industry have also been recognised through prestigious honours, including Trailblazer of the Year (2024) and the Managing Director’s Special Recognition Award (2026).
Ravi’s international experience includes hospitality and beverage operations in the UK, where he was ranked among the Top 20 Mixologists in Manchester.
With his extensive experience across hospitality, coffee, beverages, retail operations, and customer experience, Ravi Arya continues to contribute to the evolution of the beverage industry through innovation, sustainability, quality, and operational excellence.
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