Marico Innovation Foundation Announces Indian Innovation Icons 2027

On 22 June 2026, Marico Innovation Foundation (MIF) issued a press release from Mumbai, India, inviting innovators to apply for the 11th edition of its flagship biennial platform, Indian Innovation Icons 2027. Launched in 2006, the platform seeks to spotlight hidden yet potentially game‑changing innovations that deliver socio‑economic and environmental impact across the country.

Applications are open from 22 June 2026 until 22 July 2026 and can be submitted through the online application form linked in the release. The competition will evaluate innovations in two streams – Business (for‑profit) and Social (not‑for‑profit). The selection process spans eight months and comprises two rounds of deliberations by an independent jury for each category, followed by on‑ground due diligence conducted by Deloitte Monitor, an independent knowledge partner.

Jury Composition

The Business Category jury is chaired by Amit Chandra, Chairperson of Bain Capital and India and Co‑Founder of ATE Capital. Jury members include:

  • Namita Thapar, Executive Director, Emcure Pharmaceuticals;
  • Debjani Ghosh, Distinguished Fellow, NITI Aayog, former President of Nasscom and former Vice President & MD, Intel South Asia;
  • Dr. Ashish Lele, Director, CSIR‑National Chemical Laboratory;
  • Prabha Narasimhan, MD & CEO, Colgate‑Palmolive India;
  • Ravi Mariwala, Chairman and MD, Smaart Water;
  • Sanjiv Kaul, Senior Partner, ChrysCapitall.

The Social Category jury, also chaired by Amit Chandra, comprises:

  • Deepali Khanna, Senior Vice President and Head of Asia, The Rockefeller Foundation;
  • Samarinita Shetty, Co‑founder and CEO, IDR;
  • Chetna Gala Sinha, Founder and Chairperson, Mann Deshi Bank and Mann Deshi Foundation;
  • Aniket Doegar, CEO, Haqdarshak;
  • Prateek Madhav, CEO and Co‑founder, AssisTech Foundation;
  • Luis Miranda, Co‑founder and Chairperson, Indian School of Public Policy.

Grand Finale and Awards

The grand finale will be held on 4 March 2027 at the Jio World Convention Centre, BKC, Mumbai, bringing together leaders from business, startups, investment, social impact, and media. Winners will receive strategic guidance from Harsh Mariwala, Founder of Marico Innovation Foundation, access to MIF’s ecosystem of investors, business leaders, grant makers, and ecosystem partners, bespoke mentoring from Marico’s senior leadership, enhanced national visibility, and curated opportunities to accelerate growth and scale.

Founder and Jury Chair Remarks

Harsh Mariwala stated that India is experiencing a strong wave of innovators whose solutions can create meaningful impact at scale, yet many remain under‑recognised. He emphasized that Indian Innovation Icons aims to provide visibility, networks, and growth opportunities to such innovators. Amit Chandra highlighted that past winners such as Skyroot Aerospace, Dozee, and Astrome Technologies exemplify the transformative potential of early recognition and support.

Past Performance and Call for Applications

Previous editions have recognised innovators like Skyroot Aerospace, Indra Water, People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI), India Development Review (IDR), Ishitva Robotic Systems, Dozee, and Khushi Baby. The immediate prior edition received over 1,100 applications from across India. Suranjana Ghosh, Head of MIF, expressed enthusiasm about the evolution of India’s innovation ecosystem and invited innovators nationwide to apply.

Social Media and Additional Information

Updates and announcements will be shared via the hashtag #IndianInnovationIcons on LinkedIn and Instagram.

About Marico Innovation Foundation

Founded by Harsh Mariwala in 2003, MIF nurtures and promotes innovations. The original ‘Innovation for India’ Awards began in 2006 and were later rebranded as Indian Innovation Icons, establishing a biennial standard for recognising groundbreaking innovations in India.

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