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Fortune India Magazine - November 2025

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In this issue

“AI will not replace people, but people whoa use AI will replace those who don’t.”
-Mukesh Ambani
The annual Fortune India special issue of India’s Best CEOs comes to you against this background of rapid change. The winners represent a cross-section of companies in terms of size and sector, but there is one common thread—these are leaders who have demonstrated excellence in leadership and navigated challenges successfully to ensure their companies win in the marketplace.

LEADERS EXTRAORDINAIRE

THERE WAS a time when we, as cub reporters, would ask chief executives what their companies would look like a decade later. Cut to 2025.

2 mins

THE BANKING SECTOR IS IN A TRANSFORMATIONAL PHASE. LEADING THIS IS THE STATE BANK OF INDIA, WHICH WAS NAMED THE WORLD'S BEST CONSUMER BANK 2025 BY GLOBAL FINANCE, AND ACCOUNTS FOR 20% OF INDIA'S GDP. CHAIRMAN C.S. SETTY SPEAKS ON HOW SBI IS ALTERING ITS DNA TO KEEP UP WITH THE TIMES.

We are in the midst of geopolitical turbulence. As a banker and chairman of the country's largest bank, how do you see India's economy weathering the storm?

10+ mins

THE GOLDEN EUPHORIA

IN JUST 10 MONTHS, GOLD PRICES ARE UP 50% GLOBALLY AND 57% IN INDIA, RECORDING ONE OF THE STEEPEST CLIMBS IN RECENT MEMORY.

3 mins

THE RUSSIAN ROULETTE: INDIA FACES A DOUBLE WHAMMY—EITHER RISK U.S. IRE BY CONTINUING TO BUY RUSSIAN OIL OR INFLATE ITS OIL IMPORT BILL BY RETURNING TO TRADITIONAL SUPPLIERS

AS GLOBAL GEOPOLITICS reshapes energy trade routes, India finds itself walking a delicate tightrope—balancing its economic advantage from cheap Russian crude with the diplomatic demands of the West.

2 mins

GLOBAL REBOOT: THE LANDMARK EMIRATES NBD DEAL IS SET TO RESHAPE RBL BANK WITH GLOBAL MUSCLE AND MAY BECOME A BENCHMARK FOR FUTURE PARTNERSHIPS.

RBL BANK'S NET WORTH is set for a major boost—rising from ₹15,610 crore to an estimated ₹42,000-44,500 crore—once regulators green-light Dubai-based Emirates NBD's proposed $3 billion (₹26,853 crore) investment for a 60% stake in the lender.

2 mins

Making Board Evaluations Matter

Moving from a tick-box approach to a thoughtful, action-oriented process requires courage, but that leads to stronger boards, better decisions, and more resilient organisations.

3 mins

Finger on the Pulse of the Nation

For Piyush Pandey, simple truths mattered more than clever constructs.

3 mins

TATA REGAINS TRUST

NOEL TATA REDEFINES FAMILY INFLUENCE, MODERNISING TRUST GOVERNANCE.

6 mins

YES BANK ON A NEW COURSE

SMBC'S ₹16,000-CRORE INVESTMENT GIVES IT FRESH CAPITAL, GLOBAL REACH, AND A FIRST-MOVER EDGE IN INDIA'S FAST-GROWING BANKING SECTOR.

5 mins

THE AIRBENDERS

Corporate India's leaders have once again proven the adage right: cometh the hour, cometh the CEO.

7 mins

INCREDIBLE AMBANI

RELIANCE IS FUELLING INDIA'S FUTURE WITH CONVICTION, INNOVATION, AI, AND RENEWABLES.

6 mins

HE CAME. HE SAW. HE INSPIRED

THERE ARE LEADERS, THERE ARE INSTITUTIONS AND THEN ARE THOSE EXEMPLARS WHO ARE INSTITUTIONS OF THEIR OWN.

10+ mins

CAPTAIN COOL

CALM, FOCUSSED, AND FUTURE-READY— SNS IS QUIETLY RESHAPING L&T FOR THE NEXT FRONTIER.

7 mins

The Gentle Strategist

A LOW-PROFILE VISIONARY WITH A RAZOR-SHARP MIND, DILIP SHANGHVI HAS BEEN QUIETLY TRANSFORMING THE INDUSTRY.

6 mins

The 'Un-Foxconn' CEO

WHY SUNIL VACHANI DOESN'T WANT DIXON TO ADOPT THE ELECTRONICS CONTRACT MANUFACTURING GIANT'S PLAYBOOK.

6 mins

The Reclusive Retailer

A PRIVATE BRAND STRATEGY, ALONG WITH A BUSINESS MODEL FOCUSSING ON SHORT-TERM 'PAIN', BUT LONG-TERM GROWTH—P. VENKATESALU HAS FOLLOWED HIS MENTORS' RULEBOOK ΤΟ Α ΤΕΕ.

6 mins

SPEED, DESPITE THE BUMPS

NIRMAL KUMAR MINDA HAS SPENT NEARLY 50 YEARS NAVIGATING UNO MINDA THROUGH MANY A STORM AND COMING OUT ON TOP.

7 mins

FULL SPEED AHEAD

WITH HIS BETS ON PREMIUM AND ELECTRIC BIKES, SUDARSHAN VENU IS CHARTING A GLOBAL GROWTH PATH FOR TVS.

6 mins

A Force to Reckon With

PRASAN FIRODIA IS REINVENTING FORCE MOTORS AND LEADING ITS GLOBAL BOUT.

6 mins

Growth Drivers

ANISH SHAH AND RAJESH JEJURIKAR LEAD M&M'S CHARGE INTO A STRONGER FUTURE.

6 mins

THE APPLIED ECONOMIST

DEBADATTA CHAND IS HELPING BANK OF BARODA FIND ITS MOORINGS WITH A POTENT RETAIL AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MIX.

6 mins

TURNING THE TIDE

BUILDING A BANK OF GREATER SIGNIFICANCE: THAT'S THE VISION OF NIDHU SAXENA, MD AND CEO OF BANK OF MAHARASHTRA

4 mins

A Step Ahead

KUSHAL N. DESAI SEES OPPORTUNITIES IN CHALLENGES AS HE LOOKS TO CONTINUE THE STRONG RUN RATE OF APAR INDUSTRIES.

5 mins

Cementing Success

K.C. JHANWAR'S DISCIPLINED AND FORWARD-LOOKING APPROACH HAS ADDED TO ULTRATECH'S HEFT.

8 mins

Glued to India

MADHUKAR PAREKH HAS BUILT ONE OF INDIA'S MOST ICONIC BRANDS ON THE BACK OF POWERFUL ADVERTISING.

3 mins

WIRED FOR SUCCESS

DRIVEN BY INNOVATION AND AUTOMATION, INDER T. JAISINGHANI HAS TURNED POLYCAB INTO INDIA'S TOP WIRE & CABLE MAKER.

5 mins

BEYOND THE MENU

FROM FOOD DELIVERY TO Q-COMMERCE TO B2B, DEEPINDER GOYAL IS SCALING ETERNAL INTO AN ECOSYSTEM GIANT.

5 mins

Ready for the Future

FROM A CONVENTIONAL FMCG BUSINESS TO BUILDING SPECIALISED BRANDS, SANJIV PURI'S GAME PLAN IS TO STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE.

7 mins

BALANCING THE ACT

VARUN JAIPURIA'S FOCUS REMAINS FIRMLY ON THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF CREATING SUSTAINABLE VALUE.

5 mins

A DOCTOR FOR LIFE

THE REDDY SISTERS ARE CHANGING INDIA'S HEALTHCARE PARADIGM, TAKING AHEAD THE LEGACY OF THEIR ICONIC FATHER.

4 mins

Reinventing Legacy

REVITALISING TAJ HOTELS TO RESHAPING STRATEGY-PUNEET CHHATWAL HAS TURNED IHCL INTO A HOSPITALITY POWERHOUSE.

3 mins

THE AI VISIONARY

WITH FULL-STACK CAPABILITIES ACROSS MODELS, C. VIJAYAKUMAR AIMS TO CONSOLIDATE HCLTECH'S LEADERSHIP IN THE SPACE.

5 mins

PERSISTENCE IN EVERY LAP

PERSISTENT'S NEW-FOUND AGGRESSION IS YIELDING FAVOURABLE RESULTS, BOTH IN REVENUE AND PROFIT NUMBERS.

4 mins

Finding a Winning Formula

RAMASWAMY HAS SET GIC RE ON A COURSE WHERE PROFITABLE GROWTH BECOMES A WAY OF LIFE.

6 mins

Beyond the Smelter

HOW SATISH PAI IS FORGING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR HINDALCO.

6 mins

Mining It Right

WITH AN EYE ON DIVERSIFIED AND SUSTAINABLE OFFERINGS, ARUN MISRA IS RESHAPING HZL.

4 mins

The Amazonian at Bajaj

RAJEEV JAIN IS TAKING THE FINANCIAL POWERHOUSE THE E-COMMERCE GIANT'S WAY TO AVOID A SEE'S CANDIES DILEMMA.

7 mins

THE CORE STRENGTH

FOR G. KRISHNAKUMAR, STEERING BPCL WASN'T JUST ABOUT CURRENT PERFORMANCE; IT WAS ABOUT BUILDING THE FUTURE.

6 mins

Next-gen Growth Play

AMAN MEHTA IS SHAPING TORRENT'S FUTURE ROADMAP, BACKED BY INNOVATION AND BOLD STRATEGIES.

5 mins

The Skyline Strategist

ABHISHEK LODHA HAS SUCCESSFULLY CEMENTED LODHA DEVELOPERS AT THE FOREFRONT OF INDIA'S REAL ESTATE BOOM.

7 mins

CRAFTING ASPIRATIONS

C.K. VENKATARAMAN IS A MASTER IN THE ART OF TURNING COMMODITISED CATEGORIES INTO ASPIRATIONAL FASHION BRANDS.

7 mins

THE BATTLE TO SAVE INTEL

BUOYED BY EMERGENCY INVESTMENTS FROM THE U.S. GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY PEERS, ONE OF AMERICAʼS GREATEST TECH COMPANIES IS IN THE FIGHT OF ITS LIFE.

9 mins

RESTORING THE AURA OF RALPH LAUREN

A DECADE AGO, RALPH LAUREN THE COMPANY WAS JEOPARDIZING ITS LUXURY REPUTATION AND WATCHING PROFITS PLUMMET. THE SOLUTION: FINDING THE RIGHT PARTNER FOR RALPH LAUREN, THE MAN. HOW PATRICE LOUVET HELPED AMERICA'S MOST IMPORTANT FASHION COMPANY GET ITS GROOVE BACK.

10+ mins

Luxury Unlimited

The iconic serpentine design, a symbol of eternity, inspires Bvlgari to aim for the long term. Its India strategy is no exception, says CEO Jean-Christophe Babin.

4 mins

Shaping the Future of Tech and Sustainability with a Heart

Helming the fame and fortunes of one of India's leading IT firms has come with its own set of challenges and opportunities. For Harish Kohli, President and Managing Director, ACER INDIA, every challenge has opened the door for opportunities to leverage his learnings and skills in a globally reawakened sector. Every stage of jousting with it, for the right outcomes, is fraught with an equal amount of trepidation and adrenaline-pumping thrills. At the very heart of it, transformative innovation remains your steadfast companion, as is the spirit of true entrepreneurship.

2 mins

Motivated to help customers stay healthy and confident

As the increasingly disruptive elements of the world around us compel us to rethink our approach to staying grounded and well, it's not surprising that we seek more holistic ways to endure.

2 mins

Rahul Jain: Founder Market Kya Kehti Hai Enabling Financial Literacy

In today's rapidly evolving digital era, 'influencers' has become a buzz word that's bandied about all over the place for what's going on in social circles, and now, increasingly as an effective tool for corporate communication.

2 mins

From Hospital Bed to a Health Innovation: The Birth of Dr. Tracker

As artificial intelligence and automation weave their way into every device from drones to medical wearables the question of cybersecurity has become inseparable from safety.

2 mins

Reimagining the Future of Retail India with Data-Smart Kirana Stores

Kirana outlets, the humble neighbourhood grocery stores are the lifeline of the local community.

2 mins

Turning the Screw on the Humble Screw

True entrepreneurship doesn't recognise boundaries, especially when it's driven by a passion to make a difference in a passive space. Intrinsic to the manufacturing industry in their many avatars, screws and fasteners never really merited a second glance in the bigger picture, except for those for whom it really mattered.

2 mins

The Valve Virtuoso: How Dr. Ganesan Jegannathan Built India's Premier Industrial Solutions Power House

In the unforgiving world of industrial engineering, where a single valve malfunction can trigger millions in losses and widespread power outages, Dr. Ganesan Jegannathan has emerged as India's most trusted problem solver.

2 mins

The Architect of Ambition: How Sharat Kumar Sahu Built Odisha's Real Estate Empire

In the dynamic corridors of corporate India, few stories of entrepreneurial transformation resonate as profoundly as that of Sharat Kumar Sahu.

3 mins

Propelling the Charge for Organic Growth and Future-Relevant Legal Practices

As one of Kolkata's oldest legal firms S.Jalan & Co has been a touchstone for unimpeachable trustworthiness.

2 mins

DELIVERING EXCEPTIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY SOLUTIONS NATIONWIDE

PLEASE SHARE WITH US THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR ORGANIZATION

2 mins

Dr. Minnie Bodhanwala The Turnaround Titan of Healthcare

While global healthcare leaders wrestle with margin pressures and technological disruptions, Dr. Minnie Bodhanwala, CEO of Wadia Hospitals, has quietly led one of the most extraordinary transformations in Indian healthcare. Her work redefines the possibilities at the intersection of innovation, equity, and empathy—particularly in maternal and pediatric care.

2 mins

DRIVEN BY INNOVATION AND A HUMANITARIAN OUTLOOK

PLEASE SHARE WITH US THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR ORGANIZATION.

2 mins

Lux Voyages by Yusuf Bespoke Travel with Purpose and Pleasure

Luxury has taken a whole new meaning and context with millennials and Gen Z driving the market with vigour and vitality. Mindfulness is the key... It is the true luxury, because the discerning traveller returns home changed and revitalised from deeply immersive engagements with the places one has visited and their local communities and culture.

2 mins

Spotlighting India's DIGITAL MISSION Through a Global Lens

As revealed by the State of India's Digital Economy Report 2024, India is the third largest digitised country in the world in terms of economy-wide digitalization

2 mins

The Many Roles, One Remarkable Woman

Never one to let the grass grow under her feet Ms Kapadia has constantly reinvented herself with innovative thinking, skilled leadership and her desire to better the world.

2 mins

Grooming A Slew of Freshly Minted Global Professionals

Leveraging the beauty of a borderless world through knowledge, innovation, and conscious leadership

2 mins

Cold Steel Corporation: Leading India's PEB Revolution Through Trust and Innovation

Setting New Standards in Steel Construction, Cold Steel Corporation Leads with Quality, Speed, and Sustainability in India's Growing Infrastructure Market

2 mins

Building the Future of Tier-2 India: Sunil Goel's Numax Realcon Launches 100-Acre Townshin at Muzaffarnagar.

With an over three-decade foray in the real estate industry, Managing Director Sunil Goel, who's also the co-founder of Omaxe, has been notching up a wide range of township projects in 27 cities, while delivering over 100 million sq ft of built-up area. Having been one of those rare experts in township-scale planning Sunil continues to hone his skills with every new project that comes his way.

2 mins

Niki Hingad: The Artist Who Turned Wellness into a Work of Art

Every once in a while, an entrepreneur reframes an industry — not by competing, but by re-imagining it.

2 mins

DARE TO DREAM AND DELIVER

I grew up in a middle-class Bengali family, with an ambition to do something out of the box.

4 mins

ADAPTING, INNOVATING, AND EXECUTING WITH AGILITY

PLEASE SHARE WITH US THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR ORGANIZATION.

2 mins

An Unalloyed Ambition To Drive India's Self Reliance in the Defense Space

From his birth in a farming household in Hosakote village in Karnataka, to championing India's quest for technological self-reliance in the defense space, Dr. Raghavendra Rao's transformational journey is an inspiration for many.

2 mins

A Long-Term Mission to Transform Lives of People and Communities

In India, philanthropy is an ancient and deeply embedded religious and cultural tradition.

3 mins

Transforming Leadership: Col. Rajeev Mannali's Journey from a Soldier to Healthcare Visionary

Col. Rajeev Mannali's distinguished career journey from a decorated military commander to a visionary healthcare leader exemplifies the seamless merging of strategic discipline with compassionate care.

2 mins

MAKING QUALITY HEALTHCARE AND EDUCATION ACCESSIBLE TO ALL

PLEASE SHARE WITH US THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR ORGANIZATION.

2 mins

The Powerhouse Behind ISAAC Luxe Where Science Meets Glamour

In a world where beauty trends change faster than the seasons, Dr. Geetika Mittal Gupta has emerged as a timeless force — visionary, dynamic, and unafraid to redefine what modern skincare truly means. As the Founder and Medical Director of ISAAC Luxe, she has transformed the idea of aesthetic wellness into a luxurious, intelligent, and empowering experience.

2 mins

MORE LOGICAL, RELATABLE, AND RESULT-ORIENTED ASTROLOGY

PLEASE SHARE WITH US THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR ORGANIZATION.

2 mins

SOUL FOOD WITH A HEART

PLEASE SHARE WITH US THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR ORGANIZATION.

2 mins

Distinctive Diamonds that are Symbolic of the Milestone Moments In Life

Diamonds that Symbolise the Power of Emotional Connectivity and Enduring Relationships

2 mins

Read all Stories from Fortune India

Fortune India Magazine Description:

Publisher: Business-Media-Pvt-Ltd

Category: Business

Language: English

Frequency: Monthly

Fortune India, is your ultimate guide to business, economy, and leadership. From corporate power moves to disruptive startups, Fortune India bring you deep insights, expert analysis, and inspiring success stories that shape India’s financial and entrepreneurial landscape.

1. Business & Economy – Exclusive reports on market trends, policy shifts, and economic developments. 

2. Leadership & Strategy – Meet the CEOs, founders, and visionaries redefining industries. 3. Wealth & Investment – Smart strategies for investors, market insights, and expert financial advice.

4.  Tech & Startups – The latest in AI, fintech, and innovations driving India’s growth story.

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