CNN-News18 today presented the 12th edition of its flagship Indian of the Year (IOTY) awards to achievers who have brought pride to the country through their tenacity and dedication, honouring the top performers who have excelled in their areas in the last one year.
The initiative celebrated breakthroughs in categories that have come to define the Indian spirit — sports, entertainment, politics, entrepreneurship, social reform, and climate change — through this programme. The Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankar, served as the chief guest at the ceremony.
The winners were chosen through a public vote phase that ended on October 2, followed by a jury round comprised of Network18 editors.
Climate fighters and social changemakers received the most votes, as opposed to other star-studded categories like entertainment or sports, said CNN-News18 Managing Editor Zakka Jacob.
Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra ended his evening with two awards in his bag: one for Indian of the Year in Sports and the other for the much coveted marquee award of the night, CNN-News18 Indian of the Year for 2022.
Accepting his recognition, the sports maestro said, "Working hard in the stadium is our meditation. We work hard for over 8-10 hours there. You have to believe in yourself when no one does. Have faith and put all your hard work into your goal."
The event was filled with luminaries from many disciplines. Ranveer Singh commanded the stage with his electrifying presence and was at his effervescent best at the award show.
He received an Outstanding Achievement Award for his contributions to the entertainment industry, notably for his riveting performance in 88. Former captain and 1983 World Cup champion Kapil Dev bestowed the honour onto him.
By honouring Ranveer for his role in the film, a tribute was extended to Dev and his remarkable contribution to international cricket.
Here is the complete list of the winners from all the categories.
Entertainment
Nominations: Alia Bhatt, Allu Arjun, Kartik Aaryan, Team RRR, Vivek Agnihotri
Winner: Allu Arjun
South superstar Allu Arjun has been named Indian of the Year 2022 in the category of 'entertainment.' He was honoured for his gripping performance in Pushpa: The Rise, his 2021 feature, which gained him international acclaim and played an important role in bringing moviegoers back to theatres in 2021, grossing more than Rs 350 crore globally.
His breakthrough comes at a time when South Indian film is gaining popularity nationwide. Union Minister Smriti Irani was on stage with him to present the trophy.
Allu said as he accepted his award, "I've been working for 20 years and have earned several awards in the south, but today is the first time I've received an award from the north. It's my first, and being in the country's capital while getting it makes it much more memorable."
Climate Warrior
Nominations: Jadav Payeng, Jamuna Tudu, Marimuthu Yoganathan, Prasiddhi Singh, Sumaira Abdulali
Winner: Marimuthu Yoganathan
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat presented the CNN-News18 Indian of the Year 2022 award in climate warrior category to Marimuthu Yoganathan.
Yoganathan, a bus conductor, also popular as the Tree Man of Tamil Nadu, has planted over three lakh saplings in the last three decades at his own expense. He distributes the saplings free of cost to passengers travelling in his bus. He has also visited countless schools, colleges and industries to raise awareness about protecting the environment.
While delivering this award, Shekhawa drew parallel between Yoganathan and South actor Rajnikanth, who also began his career as a bus conductor, and said, "He (Yoganathan) is the Rajnikanth of the climate crusaders."
Yoganathan's parents worked on a tea farm where unlawful tree cutting was prevalent. He, being a young hot-blooded man, protested by lying down on the road and being brutally beaten up by the cops.
Instead of protesting, he reasoned, why not plant trees?
Startups
Nominations: Falguni Nayar (Nykaa), Alakh Pandey and Prateek Maheshwari (PhysicsWallah), Sriharsha Majety (Swiggy), Kamath Brothers (Zerodha), Sridhar Vembu and Tony Thomas (Zoho).
Winner: Sridhar Vembu and Tony Thomas of Zoho
Union Minister Piyush Goyal awarded Zoho's Sridhar Vembu the Indian of the Year 2022 in the category of startups, while also calling him as one of the finest entrepreneurs India has ever produced.
Zoho, established by Sridhar Vembu and Tony Thomas, is a profitable, bootstrapped company that provides entire business running solutions.
“No only Shridhar earned a very big name for himself across the world in the startup space, but after all his successes, he has chosen to come back to India, work in the villages in India, be amongst Indian boys and girls, empower them, skill them train them and bring all the technology that he has developed to become a social entrepreneur in the villages of Tamil Nadu and across the country. He is truly somebody we are proud of," Goyal said.
Vembu, a fervent believer in rural empowerment, relocated to Tenkasi, Tamil Nadu, where he is actively involved in the establishment of schools and other societal activities.
"To me business is a journey of conviction. You have to develop it, build it slowly. There is so much talent in India we should be the most advanced nation in the world. When you find conviction, persist with it," said Sridhar Vembu.
Sports
Nominations: Achanta Sharath Kamal,Lakshya Sen, Neeraj Chopra, Nikhat Zareen, R Praggnanandhaa.
Winner: Neeraj Chopra
Union minister Sri Anurag Thakur praised the Javelin maestro as he presented him with the Indian of the Year 2022 award in the sports category, applauding Chopra for winning gold at the Olympics and his other accomplishments.
Chopra opted to reveal his odd dilemma when delivering his acceptance speech, stating, "I purchase a lot of stuff but never have time to wear them. My whole focus is on training."
Social Change
Nominations: Asha Workers, Dr Shankare Gowda, Hemkunt Foundation, Raju Kendre, Tajamul Islam.
Winner: Dr Shankare Gowda
Everyone wishes for the welfare of society, but only a few stand out as they walk the talk with actions that advance welfare through education, access to basic amenities and so much more.
This year, the CNN-News18 Indian of the Year 2022 award for social change was given to Dr Shankare Gowda, also known as the '5 rupees doctor'.
Dr Gowda is a skin specialist from Mandya in Karnataka, who charges his patients just 5 rupees. He always prescribes affordable medicines, and has had an almost hundred percent success rate. His selfless service attracts scores of patients from far-flung areas of Karnataka.
When accepting his prize, he commented, "When I graduated from Kasturba University in Manipal, I intended to establish my own practice in my hometown. There are so many doctors these days, yet there are shortages in rural Karnataka. I believe that any information I have learned should be shared with my people, who have always supported me."
Politics
Winner: Yogi Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday received the CNN-News18 Indian of the Year 2022 award in politics. Unable to attend the function, the chief minister in a prerecorded clip thanked the people of his state for believing in him by bringing the BJP to power for a second time following the assembly elections earlier in the year.
The chief minister could not attend the event as Uttar Pradesh is in three-day mourning after the death of Samajwadi Party patriarch and three-time CM Mulayam Singh Yadav.
“I thank the people of my state for believing in me and bringing the BJP to power for a second time, 37 years on, we broke Uttar Pradesh’s record with two-third of the votes", the chief minister said, thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well.
Aside from the six primary categories, two more were introduced to recognise the excellence of the incredible Indians who blazed new ground in various disciplines in the previous year.
Sonu Sood receives the Indian of the Year 2022 'Special Accomplishment' award for his extraordinary commitment to society during the pandemic, and for assisting individuals in need in recent years.
"My mother used to say, 'tu muthi khol ke dekh, shayad tere haatho ke lakeero pe kisi ki jaan bachane ka mauka hai" (maybe the lines on your palm will guide you to save a life). I feel I am playing the most important role of my life now, where the almighty is the director. I wish and pray this movie doesn't end,' says actor Sonu Sood.
Tennis player Sania Mirza has been honoured with 'Outstanding Achievement' Award in sports at CNN-News18 Indian of The Year 2022 event.
Sania accepted her award and spoke about her decision to retire from tennis, stating that it was a hard call for her. She informed her supporters that she still has a few months left in her and will hopefully play in Australia before hanging the racket.
First Published: Oct 12, 2022 11:05 PM IST
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