Areez Khambatta
The founder of Rasna, the drink-concentrate brand found in Indian homes since 1978, honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in 2023.
- Padma Shri 2023 (posthumous)
- Gujarat
Heroes in Trade & Industry
Showing 1–24 of 30 heroes
Arundhati Bhattacharya
The first woman to chair the State Bank of India, later head of Salesforce in South Asia, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Maharashtra
Ashok Khade
A Mazagon Dock engineer turned founder of DAS Offshore, which has built more than 270 offshore projects for ONGC, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- Maharashtra
Cyrus Poonawalla
The founder of the Serum Institute of India in Pune, which grew into the world's largest vaccine maker by doses, honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2022.
- Padma Bhushan 2022
- Maharashtra
Jagjit Singh Dardi
A Punjabi newspaperman who founded the daily Chardikla in 1969 and the channel Chardikla Time TV, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022
- Chandigarh
Jaswantiben Jamnadas Popat
One of seven Mumbai women who started Lijjat Papad in 1959 with Rs 80, building a cooperative of some 45,000 women, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021
- Maharashtra
Kalpana Morparia
A banker who rose from legal associate to joint managing director at ICICI and later led J.P. Morgan in India, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.
- Padma Shri 2024
- Maharashtra
Krishna Ella and Suchitra Ella
The founders of Bharat Biotech, makers of the Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin and the rotavirus vaccine Rotavac, jointly honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2022.
- Padma Bhushan 2022
- Telangana
Kumar Mangalam Birla
The chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, which has grown about thirtyfold under him and works in 36 countries, honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2023.
- Padma Bhushan 2023
- Maharashtra
Muktamani Devi
A Kakching entrepreneur who began by knitting shoes for her daughter and built Mukta Shoes, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022
- Manipur
Nalli Kuppuswami Chetti
The Chennai silk merchant who built his family sari shop into a giant of the trade, and author of 60 books, honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2025.
- Padma Bhushan 2025
- Tamil Nadu
Natarajan Chandrasekaran
The chairman of Tata Sons, who earlier led TCS as chief executive from 2009 to 2017, honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2022.
- Padma Bhushan 2022
- Maharashtra
Onkar Singh Pahwa
The chairman of Ludhiana-based Avon Cycles, which he helped make a top Indian bicycle brand sold in 80 countries, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Punjab
P Subramanian
The 'Gear Man of Coimbatore', who started Shanthi Gears in a rented shed, honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021 (posthumous)
- Tamil Nadu
Pankaj Patel
The chairman of Zydus Lifesciences, who led the development of new Indian medicines and vaccines, honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2025.
- Padma Bhushan 2025
- Gujarat
Pawan Goenka
The engineer behind the Mahindra Scorpio who led Mahindra & Mahindra and now chairs space regulator IN-SPACe, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- West Bengal
Prahlad Rai Agarwala
The founder-chairman of Rupa and Company, built from 1968 into a national hosiery brand, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022
- West Bengal
Prashanth Prakash
A Bengaluru venture capitalist who backed Flipkart and Swiggy early as founding partner of Accel India, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Karnataka
R.G. Chandramogan
The founder of Hatsun Agro, India's largest private dairy company, which buys milk directly from farmers, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Tamil Nadu
Rajni Bector
A Punjab entrepreneur who grew a home bakery into Mrs Bectors Food Specialities and the Cremica group, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021
- Punjab
Rajnikant Devidas Shroff
A chemist and industrialist who founded United Phosphorus and built UPL into a global agrochemical company, honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2021.
- Padma Bhushan 2021
- Maharashtra
Rakesh Radheshyam Jhunjhunwala
A stock market investor who built a fortune from Rs 5,000 and backed causes such as Ashoka University, honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in 2023.
- Padma Shri 2023 (posthumous)
- Maharashtra
Sajjan Bhajanka
The chairman of Century Plyboards and Star Cement, who helped expand one-teacher schools for tribal children, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- West Bengal
Sally Holkar
A champion of Maheshwar's handloom weavers who co-founded REHWA and Women Weave to revive Maheshwari textiles, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Madhya Pradesh