India`s 40 Under 40.
India's future is being shaped by a new generation of leaders who are redefining ambition, innovation and entrepreneurship. Under 40, these visionaries are building businesses, transforming industries and creating meaningful impact through bold ideas and decisive action. From technology and finance to consumer brands, media and emerging sectors, their journeys reflect a remarkable blend of resilience, creativity and forward-thinking leadership.
Driven by a desire to challenge conventions and solve real-world problems, these achievers are setting new benchmarks for success while inspiring the next generation to dream bigger. Their stories go beyond professional milestones, highlighting the determination, adaptability and vision required to thrive in an evolving business landscape.
As India continues to emerge as a global powerhouse, these young leaders represent the spirit of a nation moving forward with confidence, purpose and innovation. Their achievements today are not just milestones but a glimpse into the possibilities shaping India's tomorrow.
Raj Shamani Entrepreneur, Podcaster & Founder, House of X
Raj Shamani represents a new generation of Indian entrepreneurs who are building influence through ideas, storytelling and digital innovation. Starting his entrepreneurial journey at a young age, he has evolved into one of India's prominent business content creators, known for making entrepreneurship, finance and personal growth accessible to millions. Through his podcast, Figuring Out, Raj has brought conversations with leading entrepreneurs, industry experts and influential personalities to a wider audience, creating a platform for learning and inspiration.
Beyond content creation, Raj is the founder of House of X, a venture focused on helping creators build and scale consumer brands. His journey reflects an ability to combine entrepreneurial thinking with digital influence, turning conversations into opportunities and audiences into communities. By bridging business, media and technology, Raj continues to redefine how India's next generation learns, builds and leads.
Ishaan Bahl, CEO, Risa Hospitality
Ishaan Bahl is a second-generation restaurateur shaping Mumbai's dining landscape through concepts that bring together food, culture and contemporary hospitality. As the force behind Khyber, one of Mumbai's most iconic dining institutions, and the founder of 145 Cafe & Bar, Ishaan bridges the city's rich culinary legacy with the evolving tastes of a new generation.
As CEO of Risa Hospitality, he has built a portfolio spanning distinctive dining experiences, each with its own identity and appeal. After graduating from USC Marshall School of Business in Los Angeles, he returned to Mumbai with a vision to create concepts that are as much about experience as they are about food.
Now, Ishaan is turning his attention to a new culinary chapter. Launched in December, MATSU marks his entry into Japanese dining, bringing a fresh perspective to Mumbai's restaurant scene and adding an exciting new dimension to his hospitality journey. With Matsu, he aims to create an experience that celebrates Japanese culinary culture through a contemporary lens. It represents his continued ambition to evolve beyond familiar territory while building restaurants with a distinct identity, character and point of view.
Avi Mittal, Chief Executive Officer, Cosmic Solar EPC Private Limited
Avi Mittal is driving the growth and transformation of Cosmic Solar EPC Private Limited, positioning the company as an emerging integrated player in India's renewable energy sector. Under his leadership, the company has achieved a significant milestone with an order book of approximately Rs 1,000 crore, reflecting its expanding market presence and execution capabilities.With a forward-looking vision, Avi is steering Cosmic's expansion beyond conventional Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) operations into Independent Power Producer (IPP) development, utility-scale solar projects and integrated renewable energy solutions. His strategic focus also includes strengthening backward integration across solar manufacturing, from ingots and wafers to cells and modules, while expanding into Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).
By bringing together manufacturing, project execution, power generation and energy storage, Avi is shaping Cosmic's evolution into a comprehensive renewable energy platform. His leadership reflects a commitment to building scalable infrastructure, strengthening India's clean energy ecosystem and creating sustainable opportunities for long-term growth.
Ankit Kumar, Founder and CEO of Skye Air Mobility
Ankit Kumar is the Founder and CEO of Skye Air Mobility, India's largest drone delivery company, and the world's third largest by volume, with over five million autonomous deliveries completed for clients including Amazon, Flipkart, and Blue Dart. A mechanical engineer by training, Ankit began his career at Mahindra & Mahindra.
Over the past decade, he has built deep expertise across investments, engineering, market-entry strategy, and policy advisory in the automotive, electric-vehicle, drone, and clean-energy sectors, advising more than 50 multinational corporations on global expansion. An engineer at heart, Ankit believes in building products that create larger outcomes for people and society, a philosophy that drives Skye Air's mission.
He works closely with aviation authorities on drone policy and compliance and is a vocal advocate for making India a global drone hub by 2030. He has represented India's drone sector on international stages including CES in Las Vegas, GITEX in Dubai, and the World ATM Congress in Madrid.
Tuhin Banik, Founder & CEO, ThatWare® | AI Search & Generative Engine Optimization Pioneer
Tuhin Banik is an Indian AI search innovator, entrepreneur, and Founder & CEO of ThatWare, an AI-powered SEO and digital intelligence company established in 2018. A pioneer in Hyper-Intelligence and Quantum SEO, Banik focuses on transforming how brands achieve visibility across traditional search engines and AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Perplexity.
Under his leadership, the company has emerged as an innovator in Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), and Large Language Model Optimization (LLM SEO), helping businesses strengthen AI visibility, brand authority, and digital discoverability. With operations across India and the UAE, his innovations include proprietary frameworks such as AI Visibility Metric (AVM) and Vector Entity Modelling (VEM), advancing AI search intelligence. A TEDx speaker, two-time BrightonSEO 2026 speaker, and keynote speaker at several international technology summits, Banik continues to champion the evolution of search beyond conventional rankings.His vision is to help brands become not just searchable on Google, but discoverable, cited, and recommended by AI systems, shaping the future of global digital visibility.
Shwetank Jain | Building Global Brands, Shaping Emerging Cities
For Shwetank Jain, ambition has never been limited by geography. Based in Panipat, Haryana, he represents a new generation of entrepreneurs building globally competitive businesses from India's Tier-2 cities.
His entrepreneurial journey began in textiles, where he developed international sourcing networks and built SOURCE, a premium performance-fabrics brand focused on innovation, design and quality. His vision was to move beyond conventional textile trading towards creating a differentiated, globally relevant brand.
Now, Shwetank is turning his attention to real estate through Vistaar Realty, driven by his belief that India's next major growth story lies beyond its metros.
With a vision to develop thoughtfully planned industrial, commercial and residential destinations, he aims to bring modern infrastructure and world-class development standards to emerging cities like Panipat.
His philosophy is simple: build global businesses, recognise opportunities early and create lasting value where others see untapped potential.
Ritesh Agarwal, Founder & Group CEO, OYO (PRISM)
Ritesh Agarwal is one of India's most prominent young entrepreneurs, recognised for transforming the hospitality landscape through technology and innovation. Starting his entrepreneurial journey at just 19, he founded OYO with a vision to make quality accommodation accessible, affordable and reliable for travellers. What began as an effort to address inconsistencies in India's budget hospitality sector has evolved into a global hospitality technology platform spanning hotels, vacation homes and travel accommodation across multiple countries.
A recipient of the prestigious Thiel Fellowship, Ritesh has demonstrated an exceptional ability to identify opportunities, scale businesses and navigate evolving market dynamics. His entrepreneurial journey reflects resilience, ambition and a willingness to reinvent. Beyond building a global enterprise, he has become a familiar face in India's startup ecosystem as an investor and judge on Shark Tank India, inspiring aspiring entrepreneurs to think bigger and build with purpose. His journey continues to exemplify the ambition and entrepreneurial spirit of India's next generation of business leaders.
Dr. Anshul Gupta, Founder -Thecorporatespirituality.com
Dr. Anshul Gupta, a Doctorate in Human Resources from Christ University, Bangalore, is a pioneer in the field of Workplace Spirituality. With an MPhil and PhD in the subject, she combines corporate HR experience with academic research to redefine the relationship between people, purpose and organisational success.
As Founder of TheCorporateSpirituality.com, she aims to bring the human soul back to work and raise organisational human consciousness alongside profitability. The firm offers certifications, consulting and executive coaching, pioneering the measurement of workplace spirituality and its impact on business performance.
A TEDx speaker and author of two bestselling books, The Spiritual Indian Corporate and The Corporate Spirituality, she has been recognised by Outlook India's 40 Under 40 and featured in Forbes India. A practitioner of Transcendental Meditation for 19 years, she holds a Six Sigma Green Belt certification and a Diploma in Labour Laws and Labour Welfare from Mumbai University. She also enjoys oil painting, poetry and creative cooking.
Dr Alisha Madhok Walia, Founder & CEO, Sunbeam World School
Dr Alisha Madhok Walia is redefining education through innovation, inclusion and technology-driven learning. An educationist and entrepreneur, she established Sunbeam World School's online arm in November 2020, extending the institution's legacy dating back to 1972 into a global digital learning ecosystem. Today, the school serves over 10,000 students across 44+ countries, supported by more than 270 full-time teachers.
Dr Walia is driven by her belief that education must nurture confidence, character and compassion alongside academic excellence, Dr Walia champions personalised learning and student wellbeing. Her vision led to Helping Dost, a mental health platform offering access to counsellors and psychiatrists, extending support beyond the classroom.
Recognised with several leadership honours, including the Visionary Education Leader Award at the Education World India School Rankings 2026–27, Dr Walia continues to build a futuristic educational model that makes quality learning accessible, inclusive and meaningful for learners worldwide.
Ananya Birla, Entrepreneur, Investor & Singer-Songwriter
Ananya Birla is a dynamic entrepreneur and business leader redefining India's next generation of leadership through innovation, institution-building and diversified business ventures. At just 17, she founded Svatantra Microfin with a vision to empower rural women entrepreneurs through financial inclusion. Under her leadership, the organisation has grown into India's second-largest NBFC-MFI by microfinance assets, establishing a significant presence in the country's financial services ecosystem.
Beyond financial services, Ananya has expanded her entrepreneurial footprint into consumer brands and entertainment. Through Birla Cosmetics, she introduced Contraband, a luxury fragrance brand, and LOVETC, a cosmetics label, while Birla Studios marked her entry into film production. She also contributes to the strategic direction of the Aditya Birla Group through key board positions.
Recognised among Fortune India's 40 Under 40, Ananya represents a new generation of business leaders combining entrepreneurial ambition with long-term vision, building businesses that challenge conventions and create meaningful opportunities across industries.
