While the previous three editions saw a combined participation of over 26,000 businesses, the 2023 edition of the ET MSME Awards, which has received MSME applications under 26 award categories, will be conducted in four different phases: call for entry, shortlisting and documentation, jury round for selection of final candidates, and the felicitation or the award ceremony. The ET MSME Awards 2023 programme is an initiative by ET Digital initiative, in association with Airtel Business as the Technology Partner.
The ET MSME Awards 2023 boasts an impressive jury panel comprising key leaders and stakeholders of the MSME ecosystem, including R Narayan, President, FICCI-CMSME and Founder & CEO, Power2SME; Madan Padaki, Co-founder, GAME India; Founder & CEO, 1Bridge, and President, TiE – Bengaluru; K Rama Devi, Founder and President of the Association of Lady Entrepreneurs of India (ALEAP); Srikanth Srinivasan, Vice President, NASSCOM SME Council; Mukesh Mohan Gupta, President, Chamber of Indian MSME; Ponnuswami M, Founder & MD, Pon Pure Chemicals Group and Co-Chairman, CII MSME National Council; and Hema Annamalai, Co-Founder and Vice Chair, Green Collar Agritech Solutions. They are among the esteemed members of the jury for the fourth edition of the ET MSME Awards 2023, which is regarded as one of India’s most influential awards programmes celebrating and recognising top Indian MSMEs.
The esteemed jury members of the ET MSME Awards 2023 will evaluate the shortlisted MSMEs during a virtual jury meet and decide upon the finalists for each award category during the third phase of the programme.
Here’s more about the seven jury members of the ET MSME Awards 2023:
R Narayan, President, FICCI-CMSME and Founder & CEO, Power2SME
A seasoned entrepreneur with over 26 years of experience in general management, sales and marketing domain, R Narayan presently serves as the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Power2SME, the first ‘buying club’ for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in India. He also holds the position of the President of the Confederation of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (CMSME), an affiliated body under the umbrella of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), an apex Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India. FICCI-CMSME’s vision is to empower Indian MSMEs and enhance their competitiveness by working closely with the MSME sector to identify issues and propose viable solutions.
Additionally, Narayan also serves as the Board Member of Denave India Pvt Ltd, India’s largest technology-powered sales-enabling services company, which he co-founded after having recognised the substantial difference in procurement pricing for large enterprises as compared to SMEs. He has been honoured with many laurels and accolades and he is widely acclaimed for his contribution to the SME sector.
Madan Padaki, Co-founder, GAME India; Founder & CEO, 1Bridge, and President, TiE – Bengaluru
Madan Padaki is an entrepreneur and a changemaker who is working towards empowering youth, enabling them to unleash their full potential. With a vision to enable rural youth to become entrepreneurs and social changemakers, Padaki founded 1Bridge, a platform that empowers rural entrepreneurs to accelerate last-mile delivery of access, choice and convenience to rural citizens by leveraging technology. Today, 1Bridge is present in 50+ districts across Southern and Eastern India and has over 3,000+ rural entrepreneurs engaged in delivering services to rural consumers.
Besides this, Padaki also co-founded Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship (GAME), a network that aims to catalyse large-scale job creation by bringing together the government, businesses and civil society organisations to work collaboratively on igniting a mass entrepreneurship movement. Furthermore, he also serves as the President of TiE – Bengaluru.
K Rama Devi, Founder, and President of the Association of Lady Entrepreneurs of India (ALEAP)
K Rama Devi, a distinguished figure in the realm of women’s entrepreneurship in India, is the Founder and President of the Association Lady Entrepreneurs of India (ALEAP), a non-profit organisation dedicated to women empowerment. Being an educator, business consultant, social worker, and a successful Indian entrepreneur, she serves as a role model to many aspiring women entrepreneurs. Rama Devi is known for her conceptual abilities as well as her skills in nurturing interpersonal relations.
Under Devi’s visionary leadership, ALEAP has provided a nurturing and supportive platform for aspiring and established women entrepreneurs to thrive. Her unwavering commitment to gender equality and economic self-reliance has helped countless women break barriers and overcome challenges in the business world. Devi’s advocacy for women’s entrepreneurship extends beyond her role at ALEAP. She has been an advocate for policies and initiatives that promote women’s economic inclusion and growth, making a lasting impact on the landscape of women-led businesses in India
Srikanth Srinivasan, Vice President, NASSCOM SME Council
Srikanth Srinivasan is a marketing professional with over 25 years of diverse industry experience, spanning information technology, telecom, e-commerce, and industrial automation and packaging solutions. Presently serving as the Vice President at NASSCOM SME Council, Srinivasan plays a pivotal role in managing the National SME Council, overseeing its strategic planning and execution.
Within the National SME Council, Srinivasan works closely with council members to drive key priorities related to relevance, growth, skilling, and digitisation, particularly focused on the burgeoning SME segment of the tech industry. Known for having consistently driven client business operations toward profitability and growth, Srinivasan comes with expertise in various domains, including business continuity, productivity enhancement, procurement management services, and e-commerce roadmap development.
Mukesh Mohan Gupta, President, Chamber of Indian MSME
Mukesh Mohan Gupta serves as the President of the Chamber of Indian MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises), where he plays a crucial role in advocating initiatives for the best interests of the MSME sector, while also addressing the underlying challenges of this significant but oft-neglected the growth engine of the Indian Economy.
The Chamber of Indian Micro Small & Medium Enterprises (CIMSME) prevails to promote and protect the trade and commerce of MSMEs in India. As the President of CIMSME, Gupta actively engages with stakeholders, government bodies, and industry leaders to address the unique challenges faced by MSMEs and create a conducive environment for their success and growth. In addition, Gupta also serves as the CEO of NoDefaulters.com and runs a YouTube channel, ‘MSME helpline,’ where he shares insights and creates awareness on several issues related to MSMEs.
Ponnuswami M, Founder & MD, Pon Pure Chemicals Group and Co-Chairman, CII MSME National Council
Ponnuswami M, a first-generation entrepreneur is the Founder & MD of Pon Pure Chemicals Group, a globally recognised chemical manufacturer and distributor. Ponnuswami also holds the esteemed position of Co-Chairman of the CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) MSME National Council, and plays a pivotal role in shaping the policies and initiatives that support India’s micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). His outstanding contributions have been recognised with numerous awards, including the ‘Rashtriya Samman Patra’ from the Central Board of Direct Taxes, Government of India, and the ‘Life Time Achievement’ award by Saveetha University.
Hema Annamalai, Co-Founder and Vice Chair, Green Collar Agritech Solutions
Hema Annamalai is a dynamic entrepreneur who co-founded Green Collar Agritech Solutions and currently serves as its Vice Chair. Annamalai’s leadership at Green Collar exemplifies her dedication to promoting eco-conscious farming practices, while driving technological advancements in agriculture. Her visionary approach and unwavering passion for sustainability mark her as a significant contributor to the agri-industry’s evolution. She is passionate about creating jobs, empowering women, and helping nurture startups from smaller cities.
To register for the ET MSME Awards and to know more about the ET MSME Awards 2023 programme as well as the ET MSME Talks, click here.
