Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis stole the spotlight at TiE Mumbai’s Hall of Fame 2025, clinching the Exemplary Leadership Award for infrastructure and innovation. Honored by N. R. Narayana Murthy, he hailed Maharashtra’s startup surge and ₹1.39 lakh crore in investments, cementing its role as India’s economic powerhouse
Mumbai, March 17, 2025 – The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) Mumbai celebrated excellence in entrepreneurship and innovation at its prestigious ‘Hall of Fame’ Awards during TiEcon 2025, held on March 12 at the state-of-the-art Jio World Convention Centre in BKC, Mumbai. The event, one of the largest entrepreneurial conferences in Western India, spotlighted remarkable contributions to the entrepreneurial ecosystem, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis receiving the coveted “Exemplary Leadership Award for Infrastructure Development, Investments, and Water Conservation in Maharashtra.“
The award was presented to Fadnavis by the evening’s Chief Guest, N. R. Narayana Murthy, Founder of Infosys, who lauded the recipients for their transformative impact on India’s economic landscape. In his acceptance speech, Fadnavis dedicated the honor to the people of Maharashtra, attributing the state’s progress to initiatives launched in 2014 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. He emphasized Maharashtra’s rise as a hub for innovation and investment, noting that the state attracted ₹1.39 lakh crore in investments within just nine months. “Maharashtra is now India’s startup capital, with record-breaking growth in startups and infrastructure projects driving our economic success,” Fadnavis said, citing landmark developments like the Coastal Road, Atal Setu, Metro, and Vadhavan projects.
The Hall of Fame Awards recognized a stellar lineup of entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem enablers who have reshaped industries and inspired future generations. Among the notable recipients were Suvir Sujan of Nexus Venture Partners, honored as a “Pioneering Unicorn Investor,” and T. V. Mohandas Pai of Aarin Capital, celebrated as a “Catalyst of Startup Ecosystem and Innovation.” Other awardees included Pravin Gandhi of Seedfund Venture Fund for building India’s investment ecosystem, Dr. Vijay Kedia of Kedia Securities as a “Big Bull – Startup Pioneer Investor,” and Ritesh Agarwal of OYO for leading a “Resilient Turnaround Company.“
The event also highlighted innovative startups and leaders, such as Manish Gupta of Rezo.AI for transformative AI in customer service, the “Startup Power Couple” Ganesh Krishnan and Meena Ganesh for their contributions across multiple ventures, and Akash Gupta of Zypp Electric as a “Mobility & Inclusivity Empowerment Champion.” Institutional excellence was recognized with SIDBI, under Chairman Manoj Mittal, marking 25 years of supporting venture capital and startups, while RENÉE Cosmetics’ Ashutosh Valani was lauded for “Excellence in Democratizing Beauty.“
Ranu Vohra, President of TiE Mumbai, underscored the significance of the awards: “We are honoring pioneers who have set benchmarks in entrepreneurship and created lasting impact, inspiring the next wave of innovators.” Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma, President-Elect of TiE Mumbai and Co-Founder of Venture Catalysts & 100Unicorns, added, “These awards celebrate resilience, innovation, and leadership—key drivers of India’s economic growth.”
TiEcon 2025 drew over 3,000 attendees, including industry leaders, startup founders, and investors, with more than 25 of India’s leading unicorns sharing insights on their journeys, challenges, and triumphs. Mohit Joshi, CEO of Havas Media Network India, a long-standing TiE partner, emphasized the shared mission: “Our collaboration with TiE reflects our commitment to empowering entrepreneurs and fostering innovation that shapes the future.”
The event at Jio World Convention Centre, India’s largest and most advanced conference venue, underscored Mumbai’s growing stature as a global entrepreneurial hub, with the Hall of Fame Awards serving as a testament to the visionaries driving this transformation.
