Business, Technology, Finance and Sport Leaders Come Together at CNBC-TV18 IBLA 2026 Jury to Discuss India’s AI Edge
CNBC-TV18 successfully hosted the jury session of the India Business Leader Awards (IBLA) 2026, presented by Standard Chartered, powered by Bajaj Group and associate partner Reliance Industries, on 4 November 202, in Mumbai. The distinguished jury brought together visionary leaders from business, technology, finance, entrepreneurship and sports to recognise leaders who have built what matters and created lasting impact.
The jury comprised Noel Tata, Chairman, Tata Trusts; Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman, Aditya Birla Group; Uday Kotak, Founder, Kotak Mahindra Bank; Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson, HCLTech; Vellayan Subbiah, Chairman, Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company, CG Power & Tube Investments of India; Viswanathan Anand, Indian Chess Grandmaster and Five-Time World Chess Champion; P. D. Singh, CEO, Standard Chartered, India & South Asia; and Lalit Keshre, Co-Founder & CEO, Groww. United by their experience, insight and perspective, the jury’s collective wisdom will select leaders with excellence, leadership and the power to shape India’s future.
The afternoon began with the arrival of the jury, followed by a meet-and-greet and red-carpet bytes, before the jury proceedings commenced. The deliberations were followed by a special jury conversation on the theme ‘India’s Moat in an AI Age’, helmed by Shereen Bhan, Managing Editor, CNBC-TV18. Featuring Uday Kotak, Vellayan Subbiah, Viswanathan Anand, P. D. Singh and Lalit Keshre, the conversation was held at what Shereen Bhan described as an inflection point for India and the global economy, with higher interest rates, questions around the pace of AI momentum, and resilient Indian macros set against subdued markets. The jury members shared their perspectives on how India can use the window ahead to catch up on research, innovation and manufacturing, build affordable and sovereign AI capabilities, attract the capital waiting on the sidelines, and give the startup ecosystem the time it needs to evolve. Anand drew on lessons from the world of chess to reflect on how AI will shape the future of work.
The session was followed by another conversation helmed by Prashant Nair, Executive Editor, CNBC-TV18, which brought together a driven set of young founders and CEOs: Ankit Agarwal, MD, Sterlite Technologies; Srikanth Velamakanni, CEO, Fractal; and Nitish Mittersain, Founder, Nazara. The panel examined where India stands across the AI stack, from energy, chips and AI infrastructure to models and applications, and made the case for India to stay in the race towards frontier AI. The speakers also discussed India’s opportunity in manufacturing, AI, infrastructure and building data centre capacity. The panel also discussed how AI is enabling Indian game developers to build for the world, and how young Indians and the IT workforce can upskill and reimagine themselves in an AI-led economy. The conversation also featured practical examples of AI at work on the factory floor, and closed on a lighter note on which jobs may prove AI-proof.
After the jury deliberations, the winners will be recognised at the India Business Leader Awards ceremony.
Speaking about the jury session, Shereen Bhan, Managing Editor, CNBC-TV18, said, “IBLA has always been about recognising those who build what matters. This year’s jury brought together some of the country’s most respected leaders from business, technology, finance and sport, and the conversation on India’s moat in an AI age reflected the moment we are in, one that calls for both urgency and conviction. We are grateful to every member of the jury for lending their time and perspective.”
Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, said, “The IBLA jury reflects the stature of these awards, bringing together leaders whose work has shaped Indian business and society. At a time when the economy and technology are changing rapidly, the conversations at the jury session show why celebrating leadership that builds for the long term matters. We thank our partners for their continued support of IBLA.”
Speaking at the jury special conversation, Uday Kotak, Founder, Kotak Mahindra Bank, said, “Whatever time we get to catch up, we must use it at speed and productively. India needs to focus on research, innovation, technology, production and manufacturing, and use this opportunity to really go all out and do the catch-up as soon as we can.”
Adding to this, Vellayan Subbiah, Chairman, Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company, CG Power & Tube Investments of India, said, “India’s AI ambitions must go beyond adoption. Building sovereign AI capabilities that are affordable, accessible and scalable is equally critical.”
P. D. Singh, CEO, Standard Chartered, India & South Asia, said, “With $800–850 billion in investments expected over the next five to six years, India has a significant opportunity to strengthen its position across sectors. Changing global supply chains and growing investor interest give us a limited window to make a real impact.”
Lalit Keshre, Co-Founder & CEO, Groww, said, “I am very optimistic about AI. We are at a stage where a lot of research is happening, and when it comes to the application layer, India is one of the largest markets. There is a significant opportunity for us as AI continues to evolve.”
Sharing his perspective, Viswanathan Anand, Indian Chess Grandmaster and Five-Time World Chess Champion, said, “India will not need to be at the frontier of everything. There will be areas of AI and technology where we should super-invest. The focus should be on identifying those areas and building capabilities where we can make a meaningful difference.”
The CNBC-TV18 India Business Leader Awards 2026 is presented by Standard Chartered, Powered By Bajaj Group & Associate Partner Reliance Industries. The jury session reaffirmed CNBC-TV18’s commitment to celebrating the leaders who have built what matters and shaped India’s business landscape.