In a star-studded ceremony, the CNN-News18 Indian of the Year 2023 awards recognised exceptional individuals who have made significant contributions in their respective fields. The event, held on January 10, witnessed celebrated figures from various domains coming together on a shared platform. Since its inception in 2006, the awards have become a pinnacle in the realm of news television, celebrated for their unwavering credibility.
The 13th edition of the CNN-News18 Indian of the Year was held to recognise exceptional contributions of remarkable individuals across seven categories — Business, Entertainment, Sports, Youth Icon, Rising Sports Star, Social Change, and Climate Warriors.
Here are the winners:
Indian Of The Year 2023
Upon receiving the award, Khan said that he is not just the Indian of the Year, but of all years. “I am the Indian of all ages.” Khan said he intends to keep the award 'just for himself', adding that it should be “devoured only by him”.
Sharing his family struggles, he said, “The last four, five years have been a bit of a ride for me and my family. I am sure for some of you also because of COVID and stuff. Most of my films flopped, a lot of specialists and analysts started (sounding) my death knell, some idiots did the same, which actually is the same thing, analysts and idiots. Not something that I really bother about.”
“...this is a time you need to be the hopeful, happy, (an) honest storyteller, and continue doing whatever you are doing and kind of think this is a nasty plot twist, this is not the story you are living. And 100% is not the story’s end. Because somebody somewhere told me that life mein filmon ki tarah, anth mein, sab theek ho jaata hai. Aur agar theek na ho, toh anth nahi hai. Picture abhi baaki hai mere dost. And I believe in him because I believe that goodness begets goodness," he added in his speech after winning the big award.
Entertainment
Esteemed director Mani Ratnam won the award for Indian of the Year in the Entertainment category. He was presented the award by veteran screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar.
In 2023, Tamil director Mani Ratnam achieved success with the release of the hit film "Ponniyin Selvan 2," featuring a stellar cast including Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Jayam Ravi. Additionally, he commenced work on his upcoming project "Thug Life" with Kamal Haasan.
Youth Icon (Jury)
Actress and doctor Trinetra Haldar was honoured with the Youth Icon of the Year award (Jury) at the CNN-News18 'Indian of the Year' (IOTY) awards, presented by Justice Indu Malhotra.
Haldar is an openly queer doctor, and one of India's first openly transgender doctors, who has also made a mark in the entertainment industry with her journey as a content creator and actor.
Youth Icon (Popular)
Music composer and singer Anirudh Ravichander won the award for the Youth Icon (Popular) at the CNN-News18 Indian of the Year 2023. The award, presented by renowned filmmaker Mani Ratnam, was handed over to Anirudh in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the world of music, particularly in the Tamil film industry.
Climate Warriors
Arun Krishnamurthy and Saalumarada Thimmakka won the award, presented by Afroz Shah.
Arun Krishnamurthy is the founder of the Environmentalist Foundation of India (EFI), which works in the field of wildlife conservation and habitat restoration. He founded EFI in 2007 and initiated a campaign to clean lakes and revive dying water bodies in India. Through his initiative, which is currently supported by 47 CSR partners, he has restored 460 waterbodies across 18 states.
Saalumarada Thimmakka is a 112-year-old climate warrior from Karnataka’s Tumkur district and is known as the “Mother of Trees" for planting 8,000 trees. She is best known for planting 385 banyan trees along a 45-kilometre stretch of the highway between Hulikal and Kudur in Karnataka. This not only transformed the barren stretch of road into a lush green corridor but also helped improve the air quality. She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2019 for her contributions to environmental conservation.
Business
State Bank of India (SBI) chairman Dinesh Khara won the prestigious Indian of the Year 2023 award in the business category. Khara joined SBI as a probationary officer in 1984 and has risen through the ranks over the years at India's largest public sector lender. The award was presented by Sanjiv Goenka.
Special Mention
The Heroes of Uttarkashi garnered recognition, earning a special mention to enthusiastic applause. Union Miniter Jitendra Singh presented the award to these heroes, who included National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Director General (DG) Atul Karwal, rat miners Munna and Wakil, along with foreman Gabbar Singh Negi and his colleague Saba Ahmed.
In a remarkable rescue effort in November 2023, 41 workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel were successfully brought out after a challenging 17-day ordeal. The joint efforts of numerous state and central agencies, spanning 400 hours, led to their safe rescue. The rat hole miners garnered nationwide acclaim, including from politicians, for their pivotal role in the successful operation.
Outstanding Achievement
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was honoured with the Indian of the Year 2023 award for outstanding achievement. The award, presented by Dr Jitendra Singh, recognised the remarkable contributions made by ISRO in pushing the boundaries of space exploration.
The year will undoubtedly be etched into the history books as a period when India's space agency demonstrated unparalleled prowess and resilience in the face of challenges. The pinnacle of ISRO's achievements in 2023 was the successful first-ever soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon's uncharted south polar region, a moment reminiscent of the Apollo missions.
Social Change
Ravi Kannan, a distinguished oncologist, was named the CNN-News18 Indian of The Year 2023 in the social change category.
Since assuming the role of director at the Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Assam's Silchar in 2007, Kannan has transformed cancer care, providing free or subsidised treatments to around 5,000 new patients annually, benefiting approximately 20,000 economically disadvantaged individuals for treatments and follow-ups. His commitment to people-centric and pro-poor healthcare has revolutionised cancer treatment in Assam.
“Any recognition at home is very moving and meaningful. I just represent a large number of people, our society, members of our staff, our supporters try to hold hands to improve people’s lives. I feel small and humbled…At the end of the day, you will feel fulfilled about distributing happiness," Kannan said.
Sports
Neeraj Chopra clinched the Indian of the Year award in the Sports category in recognition of his remarkable achievements and significant contribution to Indian sports. He was not physically present to receive the award at the event but expressed his gratitude via video message. The award was given by Anju Bobby George, a former Indian athlete and Vice-President of the Athletics Federation of India.
Renowned for securing a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Chopra stands as the second Indian to achieve individual gold at the Olympics and notably secured the first track-and-field gold for the nation.
Rising Sports Star
Chess Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa was conferred with the CNN-News18 Rising Sports Star at the Indian of The Year 2023. Praggnanandhaa could not join the event, but Viswanathan Anand presented him with the award at his residence in Chennai earlier.
'CNN-News18 Indian of the Year' has a rich legacy of honouring exceptional individuals across various fields. A ground-breaking feature of this year's event was the distinctive blend of expert judgment and public voting, where 50% of the decision-making power lies with the discerning audience, and the remaining 50% is entrusted to a distinguished panel of judges.
The distinguished jury panel comprised iconic figures, including former solicitor General of India Harish Salve, screenwriter and Lyricist Javed Akhtar, Retired Supreme Court Judge Indu Malhotra, former Indian Athlete and Vice-President of Athletics Federation of India Anju Bobby George, chairperson of RP Sanjiv Goenka Group Sanjiv Goenka, and environmental activist and lawyer Afroz Shah.
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