Celebrating National Achievers
New Delhi, India – CNN-News18 is set to host the 15th edition of its prestigious 'Indian of the Year' Awards on November 28, 2025. The annual event aims to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the nation's progress and journey. Under the theme 'India's Invincible Icons,' the awards will spotlight changemakers who have inspired millions through their work and achievements over the past year.
Event Details and Categories
The awards ceremony, which commences at 6 pm, will be broadcast live on CNN-News18 and its official YouTube channel, allowing a wide audience to witness the recognition of these distinguished personalities. Since its inception in 2006, the 'Indian of the Year' Awards have maintained a reputation for credibility and editorial integrity, becoming a benchmark for honoring excellence across diverse sectors.
This year's awards span eight key categories, each featuring five nominees who have made a striking impact. The categories include:
- Entertainment
- Business
- Influencer
- Rising Sports Stars
- Youth Icon
- Global Indian
- Iconic Woman Achiever
- Climate Warrior
Eminent Jury and Selection Process
The selection of the winners is overseen by an eminent jury panel comprising some of India's most respected leaders. This year's jury includes notable figures such as Sanjiv Goenka, former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice Indu Malhotra (Retd.), Prasoon Joshi, Mahesh Jethmalani, Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, Amitabh Kant, Shefali Shah, Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Gagan Narang, and Lara Dutta. Their collective expertise ensures a rigorous and thoughtful evaluation process, upholding the awards' commitment to recognizing genuine impact and inspiration.
6 Comments
Bella Ciao
The eminent jury panel certainly adds weight to the awards, but one hopes their selection process truly reflects merit beyond just popular appeal in every category.
Muchacha
Some of these nominees are questionable. Are we really calling *influencers* 'invincible icons'?
Mariposa
Honoring 'Global Indians' and 'Climate Warriors' is commendable, yet the commercial nature of these events sometimes dilutes the true spirit of recognition.
Bella Ciao
While it's good to acknowledge achievers and inspire the youth, the inclusion of certain celebrity influencers raises questions about the definition of 'national progress'.
Comandante
It's great to celebrate success and inspire, but these awards need to ensure they're not just reinforcing existing celebrity culture rather than genuinely finding new 'icons'.
BuggaBoom
What a powerful theme, 'India's Invincible Icons'! This truly inspires national pride.