Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Uday Kotak, the Premier League, Grant Thornton, Wockhardt, the British Asian Trust and the British Council were also recognised at the annual IGF UK-India Awards 2026 for their outstanding contributions to the UK-India corridor.
LONDON and NEW DELHI, June 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, and the joint UK-India FTA negotiating teams were honoured with the Exceptional Leadership in Elevating UK-India Ties award at the UK-India Awards 2026 on Thursday, 25 June 2026. Held at The Peninsula London during the 10th anniversary of India Global Forum’s UK-India Week, the awards recognised the leadership behind the historic UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), following its ratification earlier this year.
Opening the evening, IGF’s Founder and Chairman Manoj Ladwa reflected on the journey of UK-India Week over the past decade, saying:
“Ten years ago, we set out to create a platform worthy of the modern UK-India relationship. One that connected leaders across business, government, capital, innovation and culture. A place where conversations became collaborations, introductions became investments, and relationships became lasting partnerships. That was the vision. And I called it – perhaps ambitiously – a Winning Partnership. I believed it then. I believe it even more tonight.”
The ceremony brought together senior ministers, high commissioners, diplomats and global business leaders to celebrate the individuals and institutions that have helped strengthen the UK-India partnership and advance it into a new phase of economic cooperation.
Biotechnology pioneer and Chairperson of Biocon Group Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw was presented with the Lifetime Contribution to UK-India Relations award for her global leadership in science and entrepreneurship. The financial corridor’s deep capital flows were celebrated next as banking titan Uday Kotak received the award for Exceptional Leadership in UK-India Financial Services, delivering his acceptance via a special video message.
Grant Thornton was honoured for its Decade of Contribution to Consulting, recognised for shaping advisory excellence and influential corridor research. The evening’s narrative smoothly transitioned from economic engines to societal impact, honouring forces that deliver meaningful progress beyond the boardroom. Wockhardt was recognised for its Decade of Contribution to Lifesciences and Health Resilience, particularly through vaccine infrastructure, while the British Council was honoured for its Decade of Contribution to Education.
