India stands at a unique inflection point, with its ambition to become a global economic leader driving unprecedented change. Realizing this vision, however, demands overcoming significant hurdles in global competitiveness and fostering large-scale, sustainable innovation. The way forward requires a dynamic generation of influential leaders who can successfully transform policy, market mindsets, and organizational scale with integrity.
The 5th edition of Marksmen Daily’s Influential Leaders of India 2025 successfully captured this dynamic momentum on September 26th at the Novotel, Mumbai. The event served as a definitive platform, celebrating leaders who are not merely adapting to change, but actively architecting India’s transformation. By bringing together these high-impact individuals, the forum provided a clear roadmap for achieving the nation’s ambitious global and domestic goals, reinforcing the theme of “Steering India’s Ascent: Leading with Impact“.
The evening featured profound insights from a distinguished lineup of speakers and panelists. Ajay Kumar Choudhary, Non-Executive Chairman and Independent Director, NPCI Group, delivered the keynote address on India’s Moment, India’s Leaders, setting the tone for the discussions on the nation’s growing stature. The panel discussion, India Inc. in the Global Arena: From Market Participant to Market Maker, provided a deep dive into how corporate India is asserting its global influence. Shailendra Shukla, MD, Eaton, Suresh Pattathil, Managing Director and General Manager, AbbVie India, Vivek Bhatia, MD & CEO, TKIL, Rohit Pathak, CEO, Hindalco (Copper Business), Dhimant Bakshi, CEO, Imagicaaworld Entertainment Limited, and Pavithran Kallada, Deputy Managing Director, PSA India, all spoke on the strategies enabling Indian companies to drive global growth narratives and set new industry benchmarks. These discussions focused on overcoming regulatory complexities and scaling businesses with integrity, providing invaluable lessons for every attendee. The event also included a special address by Vinit Goenka, Founder Secretary, Centre for Knowledge Sovereignty, on strategic leadership.
Adding to the evening’s significance was the presence of Shweta Shalini, State Secretary and Spokesperson, BJP Maharashtra, as the Guest of Honor. She felicitated all the leaders recognized during the event, lending further gravitas to the celebrations.
The highlight of the evening was the felicitation ceremony, which celebrated the architects of India’s transformation. The individuals recognized as Influential Leaders of India included:
- Ajay Kumar Choudhary, Non-Executive Chairman and Independent Director, NPCI Group
- Rohit Pathak, CEO, Copper Business (Hindalco Industries Ltd)
- Vivek Bhatia, Managing Director and CEO TKIL Industries Pvt. Ltd.
- Ajay Vishwanath Agarwal, Executive Director, Donear Group
- Alok Bajpai, Managing Director, India – NTT Global Data Centers
- Ameera Shah, Promoter and Executive Chairperson, Metropolis Healthcare Limited
- Anand Ramakrishnan, Managing Director, Equiniti India
- Badrinath Settlur, CEO, Pando India
- Bhupesh Sushil Rahul, Chairman & Managing Director, United India Insurance Co. Ltd.
- Bhupesh Sushil Rahul, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, United India Insurance Co. Ltd
- Deepak Rai, Founder and Managing Director, BOOTES
- Harish Kohli, President & Managing Director, Acer India
- Manmohan Awasthi, Group President, SSE Group
- Pavithran Kallada, Deputy Managing Director, PSA India
- Prachur Sah, MD & CEO, Indus Towers Limited
- Priti Rathi Gupta, Founder, Lxme
- Puneet Gupta, Managing Director & Vice President, NetApp India/SAARC
- Rajeev Singh, Managing Director, BenQ India & South Asia
- Santosh Kumar, Chief Operating Officer, INNOCEAN INDIA
- Shailendra Shukla, Managing Director – Mobility Group, India, Eaton
- Siddharth Mittal, CEO & MD, Biocon Limited
- Subrat Mishra, Managing Director & CEO, Danieli Corus India Pvt. Ltd
- Sunu Mathew, Founder and Managing Director, LEAP India
- Suresh Mahalingam, Chairperson, Aviva India
- Suresh Pattathil, Managing Director and General Manager, AbbVie India
- Vijay Chandok, Managing Director and CEO, NSDL
Rajesh Khubchandani, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Team Marksmen Network, encapsulated the event’s significance by stating, “This edition not only celebrated exceptional individual journeys but, more importantly, reinforced the collective strategic intent of India’s corporate sector. The dialogues and recognitions highlighted how true leadership must be rooted in purpose to navigate complexity, ensuring that India’s global ascent is both powerful and sustained.”
The evening concluded by celebrating the stories of these influential individuals, who lead with both precision and purpose. The event successfully showcased the extraordinary impact of leaders who are not just achieving business results but are actively shaping India’s future narrative on the world stage, inspiring a culture of bold and responsible leadership across all industries.