Impactful Leaders of 2025: Powering the Next India

PNN

New Delhi [India], September 25: India today stands at a defining moment in its growth story--where innovation, resilience, and purpose-driven leadership are powering the nation toward a new era of progress. From entrepreneurship and technology to healthcare, education, and sustainability, the leaders of today are not only building successful enterprises but also shaping a more inclusive and future-ready India.

The Impactful Leaders of 2025 represent a diverse group of changemakers who are reimagining possibilities, driving transformation, and setting benchmarks across industries. With bold vision, strategic foresight, and a deep sense of responsibility, they embody the spirit of modern India--one that thrives on innovation while staying rooted in values.

Akshat Tripathi: Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer of Qudify

Akshat Tripathi, Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer of Qudify, is a visionary leader driving the future of connected, intelligent workplace operations through enterprise SaaS, sustainability, and secure digital transformation. With a strong background in scaling SaaS platforms and operational efficiency, he spearheads Qudify's product, growth strategy, partnerships, and business operations. "Software is the future, and workplaces that embrace digital efficiency and sustainability will lead the way," he notes.

Under his leadership, Qudify has matured into a full-stack workspace management platform, re-engineering core office functions with cloud-native, GDPR-ready workflows. From visitor management and frictionless meeting-room bookings to integrated feedback and issue-resolution systems, Qudify eliminates legacy paper trails and enhances enterprise-grade security.

Today, the platform powers 400 enterprises across 100 cities and 500 sites, enabling organisations to run smarter, greener, and fully digitised operations. Scalable and future-proof, Qudify is setting new benchmarks for the tech-driven workplace of tomorrow.

Ashutosh Tiwari: Co-founder & Chief Product Officer (CPO) of Laservision AI Inc

Ashutosh Tiwari is the Co-founder and Chief Product Officer (CPO) at Laservision AI Inc., a US-headquartered startup recognised by Forbes India as one of the Select 200 Startups for its product Safhire.

Before Laservision, Ashutosh founded Asmay, an end-to-end staffing firm that helped clients hire employees on a full-time basis. With over 7 years of experience at the intersection of HR and technology, he has conducted extensive research on the application of AI in recruitment. He has also authored white papers on leveraging AI for context-level understanding of resumes--a technology now adopted by global companies.

Ashutosh has received multiple accolades for his work. He was named Most Innovative Recruitment Business Leader (India) 2021, Recruitment Business Leader of the Year (South Asia) 2022 by CEO Monthly, and was nominated as AsiaOne's Most Influential Young Leader (2020-21).

Avijit Das: Founder of DriverShaab

Avijit Das, the visionary founder of DriverShaab, has redefined India's corporate mobility landscape with a tech-first approach and uncompromising integrity. What began in 2018 with just ₹2 lakhs, 22 loyal drivers, and no office has today grown into India's fastest-growing B2B driver aggregation enterprise. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Kolkata, DriverShaab now operates across 30 cities with 25,000 active drivers, serving diverse sectors including corporate mobility, logistics, hospitality, automotive retail, and EV mobility solutions.

DriverShaab's proprietary SaaS-enabled platform ensures precision, transparency, and scale, making it the go-to partner for enterprises seeking reliable driver deployment and mission-critical mobility support. The turning point came when IIMCIP backed his vision with a ₹50-lakh investment, validating his audacity and fueling exponential growth. With 60 employees and thousands of drivers, Avijit Das proves that integrity and customer-centricity can transform a fragile idea into a pan-India powerhouse in mobility solutions.

Deepak Gupta: CEO of Srishti Hospital

Deepak Gupta, CEO of Srishti Hospital, Jaipur, is a progressive healthcare leader dedicated to redefining patient-centred care in Rajasthan. Under his leadership, Srishti Hospital--recognised as the city's No. 1 women-centric multi-speciality hospital and an NABH-accredited institution--has grown into a trusted "health home," where families find compassion, trust, and medical excellence at every stage of life.

With deep expertise in data-driven operations, cost-efficient innovations, and digital transformation, Deepak has positioned Srishti Hospital as the first in Rajasthan to implement advanced digital health solutions, a milestone acknowledged by national healthcare leaders.

His approach balances operational excellence with empathy, ensuring that modern technology enhances, rather than replaces, the human touch in healthcare. As a visionary CEO, Deepak continues to drive inclusive, patient-first initiatives that make healthcare more accessible, impactful, and future-ready

Dinesh Sain - Co-Founder of Drona Aviation

Dinesh Sain is an aerospace engineer, an IIT Bombay alumnus, and Co-Founder of Drona Aviation, a pioneer in drone-based education in India. With a passion for innovation and hands-on learning, he has dedicated his career to making drones more than flying machines--transforming them into learning machines that inspire curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving among students.

Under his leadership, Drona Aviation has developed Pluto, India's first DIY and programmable nano-drone platform, and established Drone Labs in schools and colleges across the country. These initiatives have empowered thousands of students to build, fly, and code drones, equipping them with skills in robotics, drone, and technology while nurturing innovation from a young age.

Dinesh's vision aligns strongly with national priorities such as Atmanirbhar Bharat, Digital India, and Skill India. With the belief that "The next India will not just fly drones--it will build them," he aims to see a Drone Lab in every school and college in India, positioning the country as a global hub for drone innovation and education.

Rahul Pillai: Founder & CEO of Hybrid Shifting Solutions India Pvt Ltd

Hybrid Shifting Solutions India Pvt Ltd is a tech-enabled mobility solution's company in operation since 2023, offering a 360-degree logistics service in India and across 180 countries. Post the acquisition of Pikkol, India's leading Relocation brand, Hybrid Shifting Solutions is by far India's largest moving network servicing 15000 pin codes. Hybrid Shifting also secured an infrastructure backing of USD 20 million from Transworld Intl, ensuring seamless operations. In less than 3 years, Hybrid Shifting organically and via the acquisition of Pikkol managed to create a client base of more than 200000 customers. This has helped Hybrid Shifting to build a very successful and profitable business model in 18 months from its launch in the Indian market. We have in this short span become a one-stop solution for Relocation Services, Commercial Moving Services, Project Management Services, Warehousing and Allied Services.

Rahul Pillai is a CXO turned entrepreneur with close to 3 decades in the logistics and relocation business. Hybrid Shifting Solution was created to refine the logistics and relocation business, specifically where there customisation was needed.

Sravan Kumar Appana: Founder of iGo Wise Mobility

Sravan Kumar Appana, a technologist-turned-entrepreneur, has combined global experience with a sharp focus on India's mobility challenges. Having returned to India to pursue business education at ISB, worked on cutting-edge innovations in cloud, fintech and IoT, including his stint with the Union Government's 100 Smart Cities Mission, which reinforced his conviction that dignified mobility is central to urban livability.

This conviction led to the founding of iGo Wise Mobility, aimed at creating sustainable and scalable transport solutions. After five years of focused R&D, the company has brought to market a rugged electric pickup trike, purpose-built for Indian conditions. Unlike many prototypes that remain confined to labs, iGo Wise's vehicles have undergone extensive real-world testing -- clocking over 1 lakh km with customers in varied terrains, weather conditions and use-cases.

The smart leaning trike, with 12 patents and recognised with multiple awards, is a result of frugal innovation, agile engineering with a focus on robustness & durability. The response has been significant, with 5,000 enquiries from 18 countries, underscoring global interest in a product designed in India for the realities of emerging markets.

With a strong pipeline of orders and a differentiated approach, iGo trikes are poised to be shining stars in an otherwise monotonous & crowded EV space.

Vaibhav Aggarwal: Managing Director & CEO of India Next Capital

Vaibhav Aggarwal's journey is a masterclass in resilience, vision, and transformative leadership. From modest beginnings, he saw every challenge as a launchpad, honing his skills at global powerhouses like Bain & Company, Cushman & Wakefield, and ICICI Bank.

Spotting a persistent gap in capital access, Vaibhav founded India Next Capital, a specialist investment bank delivering pragmatic, high-impact financing solutions across the capital stack. Its flagship offerings include capital-market credit (promoter, holdco, and acquisition finance); equity investments in pre-IPO and high-growth ventures; and scalable unlisted investments. While sector-agnostic, India Next Capital's standout expertise lies in real estate fundraising, managing everything from land acquisition to last-mile inventory funding.

Having arranged over $500 million in capital, Vaibhav's mission is clear: help mid-sized and large corporates unlock liquidity, optimise balance sheets, and scale boldly. His track record proves that resilience, smart structuring, and speed can rewrite India's growth story.

Vishal Vivek: Co-Founder & CEO of Ukhi

Vishal Vivek is a visionary entrepreneur and sustainability advocate dedicated to driving environmental and social change through innovation. As the Co-Founder and CEO of Ukhi, he is building an integrated bio-materials platform that transforms agricultural waste into high-performance, compostable polymers, offering a scalable solution to the global plastic crisis. His work aligns with India's ESG goals and reflects his commitment to leveraging technology for planetary health.

Previously, Vishal founded the Hemp Foundation, where he empowered over 1,000 farmers and 100 women-led self-help groups in Uttarakhand by revitalising the hemp economy. His efforts in promoting sustainable livelihoods and environmental conservation have earned him recognition, including being named a legendary entrepreneur by the Times Group and receiving awards from Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University for social impact.

Vishal's expertise spans sustainable product research, marketing, and advocacy, and he has been invited by organisations like MSME DI, Delhi, to help establish a Hemp Board in India. His insights have been featured in reputed publications like Forbes and Entrepreneur, and he continues to champion regenerative business models that balance profit with purpose.

Vivek Sharan: Director & CEO of IgnifyCareers.com ( A Unit of Ignify Solutions Pvt. Ltd)

Vivek Sharan, an IIM Indore alumnus, is a passionate advocate for bridging the employability gap in India. With 20 years of experience in education, edtech, and talent development, he leads IgnifyCareers.com as Director & CEO, helping students and job aspirants--especially from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities--become interview-ready and industry-prepared. Having 25 years of experience working with reputed leading edtech, Schools, Coaching and fintech, Vivek blends academic rigor with real-world hiring insights to create practical solutions. Under his leadership, Ignify Careers delivers training, certifications, and career-readiness programs that equip youth with communication skills, confidence, and professional polish to overcome unemployment challenges. He also mentors institutions on building strong placement ecosystems, connecting recruiters with skilled, job-ready talent. Committed to social impact, Vivek's mission is to transform employability for underserved communities, turning aspirations into sustainable careers and enabling the next generation to thrive in a competitive job market.

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