The leaders to watch: Visionaries shaping the future

The new vanguard: Leaders redefining India’s ruture of business and innovation

Last Updated: Mar 25, 2026, 19:31 IST6 min

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The Leaders to Watch 2026 highlights a new generation of innovators shaping the future of business. These leaders are driving growth, innovation, and meaningful change in today’s evolving landscape.

Ankur Srivastava, Founder, QI Media Network

Ankur Srivastava is a media entrepreneur shaping the future of India’s digital publishing ecosystem. As the founder of Qi Media Network, he has built a growing portfolio of platforms focused on startups, business, and entrepreneurship. His work centers on enabling founders to gain visibility and credibility through impactful storytelling. With a sharp focus on scale and execution, Srivastava continues to create accessible media platforms that amplify emerging voices and reflect the evolving landscape of India’s startup economy. Qi Media Network operates through its digital presence at qimedianetwork.com.

Prateek Tandon, Co-Founder and Director of Copper Events and Partner at Vanilla Hospitality and The Great Indian Wedding Book

Prateek Tandon, Co-Founder and Director of Copper Events and Partner at Vanilla Hospitality and The Great Indian Wedding Book, is widely regarded as one of the leaders shaping India’s luxury wedding and experiential events industry. With over 23 years of experience, he has led the execution of 400+ corporate events and 500+ destination weddings across global locations, redefining how large-format celebrations are designed and delivered.

His learnings at Aamby Valley City, where he championed innovation in experiences and conceptualised pioneering IPs such as Enchanted Valley Carnival and Broadway on Ice, led him to venture into luxury hospitality and social events. Applying these insights through Copper Events, Tandon continues to push the boundaries of experiential celebrations, blending hospitality precision with immersive design to position India prominently on the global luxury celebrations map

Divya Siddhesh Kadam, Founder, Baliboo and Bodega 39

Divya Siddhesh Kadam, Founder of Baliboo and Bodega 39, is an emerging entrepreneur shaping Mumbai’s new-age hospitality landscape. Entering the restaurant industry in 2017 without formal hospitality training, she built her career through hands-on learning and entrepreneurial drive, developing expertise in operations, team leadership and financial management in one of the country’s most competitive sectors.

In the post-pandemic period, Divya launched Baliboo, among the first standalone restaurants in the Com2 precinct at The Westin complex, contributing to the area’s emergence as a vibrant dining destination. Building on this success, she expanded her portfolio with Bodega 39, a concept-driven bar focused on contemporary cocktail culture and immersive nightlife experiences.

With a growing footprint in Mumbai’s hospitality scene, Divya continues to focus on creating distinctive, design-led concepts that bring together community, food and nightlife, while contributing to the city’s evolution as a dynamic destination for modern dining and social experiences.

Ankit Sahni, Founder, The Hazelnut Factory

Ankit Sahni transformed the perception of Indian sweets by launching The Hazelnut Factory in Lucknow. THF is India's first f&B brand to bring artisanal mithai and coffee together & creating a modern café experience. By introducing innovative flavours, premium ingredients, and elegant packaging, THF redefined mithai for contemporary consumers. The concept gained strong traction, expanding to 18 outlets across 10 cities with a ₹150 crore revenue run rate. With over 1,000 employees and 70% annual growth, THF plans further expansion, proving Indian brands can innovate without copying global models.

Dr. Sandeep Gupta, Wealth Accelerator Coach

Dr. Sandeep Gupta, popularly known as Wealthy Sandeep, is a renowned Wealth Accelerator Coach, TEDx Speaker, Certified Financial Planner (CFP), and author with over 15 years of experience in the financial industry. He has worked with leading institutions such as Max Life, SBI Cards, ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and Standard Chartered Bank, gaining deep expertise in financial planning and wealth creation.

In 2020, he founded the Wealth Accelerator Hub with a mission to make India the most financially educated country in the world. The platform has educated over 1 lakh individuals across India. He is also the author of Wealth Mastery and 108 Wealth Accelerator Journal, empowering people to achieve financial independence and long-term prosperity.

Mahendra Babu Nagulamalyala, Founder, CultureConcept Interior Solutions

Mahendra Babu NM is the Founder of CultureConcept Interior Solutions, a Hyderabad-based interior design firm specializing in residential and commercial spaces. With over 15 years of experience in the interior design and execution industry, he has developed strong expertise in creating functional, aesthetic, and well-crafted environments tailored to modern lifestyles and business needs.

Founded over a decade ago, CultureConcept Interior Solutions has successfully designed and executed nearly one million square feet of interiors across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Under his leadership, the company has built a reputation for quality execution, design innovation, and client-focused solutions, transforming homes, offices, and commercial establishments into thoughtfully designed spaces.

Arisha Nigam, Founder, Socialyst

Arisha Nigam is a dynamic brand builder and entrepreneur driven by purpose and fearless creativity. She is the Founder of Socialyst, a growth consultancy that scales culture-forward brands; Thrillerrr, a personal and sexual wellness brand that champions one's pleasure and self-empowerment; and Naughty Rituals, a luxury lingerie label redefining sensual confidence for women. With a keen eye for design, community, and emotional intelligence, Arisha blends bold vision with strategic rigor to create brands that spark joy, challenge norms, and make meaningful impact across markets.

Sahil Chawla, CEO & Co-Founder, Tsecond.ai

Sahil Chawla is tackling the AI era's biggest bottleneck: getting compute and storage to the edge. Under his leadership, Tsecond created BRYCK family, AI-in-a-box, the world's first platform packing petabyte-scale storage and AI inferencing into a rugged device you can carry in one hand. Serving aerospace, media and autonomous systems, Tsecond operates where industries generate the most data.

In 2025, Tsecond secured a Cooperative R&D Agreement with the U.S. Army, a strategic alliance with a NYSE-listed AI firm, and joined the SOSA Consortium. Tsecond is also strengthening national digital and defense infrastructure alongside India's Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Home Affairs through AI and deep tech.

Trusted by Boeing and MSG Sphere, operating across continents and a World Economic Forum New Champion, Sahil is redefining where the world runs AI.

Ishwaraj Singh Bhatia, Co Founder, Simba Beer and ZigZag Vodka

Ishwaraj Singh Bhatia is an emerging leader in India’s premium beverage movement, having built Simba into a leading homegrown craft beer brand since 2016 and recognized among Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia.

Blending sharp strategy with youth culture insights, Bhatia has built Simba into a culturally resonant brand driven by quality brewing, bold storytelling, and community-led experiences.

As Simba approaches a decade of growth and expands across markets, Bhatia is leading the group’s next chapter with its entry into the spirits category, starting with ZigZag Vodka and tapping into India’s rapidly premiumising spirits segment. With a focus on innovation and cultural relevance, he is taking Indian-made beverage brands to the global stage.

Suresh Kuruvadi, Independent Director | GCC - Global Capability Center Specialist | TEDx speaker | ESG

Mr. Suresh Kuruvadi is an Independent Director, GCC specialist, and ESG strategist with 30+ years of leadership across technology, real estate, media, and global business services . He has played a pivotal role in building and scaling Global Capability Centers, supporting over USD 400M in worldwide sales while enabling organizations to leverage India for cost-efficient, high-quality talent. At Wissen Technologies, he helped scale the firm from inception to over INR 450 Cr in revenue, serving Fortune 500 clients with strong governance and technology-led growth. In real estate, he led TerraFirma270 initiatives delivering INR 20 Cr+ in assets with a consistent 12% IRR, while advising media ventures to rapid profitability. As a certified Independent Director and BRSR practitioner, he brings boardroom rigor, ESG compliance expertise, and sustainable growth thinking. A visiting professor at IIM Bengaluru and a frequent keynote speaker, Suresh bridges strategy, technology, and governance to build resilient, future-ready enterprises.

The Leaders to Watch 2026 represent more than success—they embody the evolving story of ambition across Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad. Their journeys reflect how modern business is no longer just about profit, but about purpose, resilience, and long-term impact.

From scaling startups to transforming industries, these visionaries are redefining the future of business while inspiring the next generation of leaders. Each story highlights innovation rooted in real-world challenges and opportunities across India’s fastest-growing ecosystems.

As these leaders continue to rise, their stories across industries and regions will continue to shape the future narrative of growth, innovation, and leadership in India.

The pages slugged ‘Brand Connect’ are equivalent to advertisements and are not written and produced by Forbes India journalists.

First Published: Mar 26, 2026, 14:24

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