ET Excellence Awards Telangana 2026 celebrates business excellence and innovation

Entrepreneurship, innovation and purposeful leadership took centre stage as ET Excellence Awards Telangana 2026, presented by Brihaspathi Technologies Ltd, brought together some of the state’s most accomplished business leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers and innovators in Hyderabad on Friday evening.

More than a celebration of business success, the event recognised individuals and organisations whose vision, resilience and enterprise are helping shape Telangana’s rapidly evolving economic landscape.

Organised by Optimal Media Solutions, a division of Times Internet Limited (The Times of India), the awards honoured distinction across diverse sectors while celebrating businesses that continue to drive innovation, create employment and contribute to nation-building.


The evening commenced with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp by Shiv Pratap Shukla, Governor of Telangana, who graced the occasion as the chief guest before felicitating winners across multiple categories. In his address, the governor underlined the role of responsible journalism in strengthening both democracy and the economy. “Institutions like The Economic Times play an important role in promoting economic awareness and transparent business competition. A responsible media not only highlights challenges but also showcases positive change, unsung heroes and grassroots innovations,” he said.

Stressing that recognition comes with responsibility, he urged entrepreneurs to ensure that the benefits of business growth reach the last person in society, adding that true excellence lies in continuously learning, improving and creating value while remaining committed to ethical practices and social responsibility.

Recognising businesses across sectors including technology, healthcare, education, manufacturing, retail, real estate, hospitality and emerging enterprises, the awards celebrated organisations that have transformed ideas into sustainable businesses while contributing to Telangana’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. The ceremony also served as a platform for industry leaders to exchange ideas on innovation, leadership and the future of business.

Representing the presenting partner, Brihaspathi Technologies Ltd, Founder and Managing Director Rajashekar Papolu addressed the gathering, reflecting on the role entrepreneurs play in shaping the country’s future.

Recalling Brihaspathi Technologies’ journey from a two-member team to an organisation with more than 400 employees across India, he said business success should be measured not just by growth but by the lives it impacts.

“People often see the cars, revenues and awards, but behind every successful entrepreneur are countless sleepless nights. Every entrepreneur who creates jobs is creating opportunities, promoting sustainability and empowering the youth. Entrepreneurship is an integral part of nation-building,” he said, adding that the company sees its workforce not merely as employees but as 400 families growing together.

Actor and humanitarian Sonu Sood, who attended the ceremony as the celebrity guest, felicitated award winners and applauded the resilience of entrepreneurs who had overcome unprecedented challenges to build thriving businesses.

“Seeing entrepreneurs who started businesses even during COVID and are now creating thousands of jobs is truly inspiring. Their journeys deserve to be celebrated,” he said.

Reflecting on his association with Telangana, Sood added, “The kind of love I’ve received from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana has been phenomenal. The best things in my life have a Telugu connection; I started my journey here, some of my best films were made here, and Hyderabad will always be special to me.”

Extending an invitation to collaborate on social initiatives, the actor said meaningful success is measured by the positive impact one creates. “The journey becomes truly special when you join hands to bring a smile to an unknown face. If we can work together in education, healthcare or any social cause, my foundation is just a phone call away. Together, we can make this world a better place,” he said.

The event was supported by Pride Motors as Luxury Car Partner, The Reel God as Content Partner and Guru’s as Trophy Partner. As entrepreneurs, industry leaders and award winners continued conversations over dinner and networking sessions, the evening concluded on a celebratory note with Hyderabad-based band Aarohi, whose energetic renditions of popular Tollywood hits brought the curtains down on a memorable evening dedicated to recognising excellence, inspiring innovation and celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit of Telangana.

Panel discussion - Turning AI ambition into business reality

At ET Excellence Award Telangana 2026, a panel discussion titled “AI Beyond the Hype- turning Intelligence into Measurable Business Impact,” was organised. The session was moderated and chaired by Chandrashekhar D P, Founder & CEO, TEYC, brought together by Bharadwaj Rachamadugu, Chief Executive Officer, Sai Silks Kalamandir Ltd; Sridhar Gadhi, Chairman and Founder, Paradigm AI; Anurag Palla, Vice President and Trustee, Anurag University; and Kodoori Venkatesham, Whole-Time Director, Brihaspathi Technologies Ltd. The discussion was about how businesses can move beyond AI experimentation and create measurable, long-term impact.

Chandrashekhar highlighted how AI is no longer just a technology but a part of everyday life. “The question today is not whether AI should enter our lives; it’s which sectors we don’t want AI to enter,” he added.

Responding to the moderator’s question on what measurable business impact from AI looks like, Bharadwaj Rachamadugu shared how Sai Silks Kalamandir had begun its AI journey long before generative AI became mainstream.

“If AI is not impacting your revenue, customer journey or operational efficiencies, it isn’t creating measurable business impact. Even a one per cent improvement in efficiency makes a significant difference to our business,” he said.

He added that AI-powered forecasting and agentic AI are helping the company predict customer demand, recommend inventory movement between stores and make faster, data-backed decisions that directly influence business performance.

Building on that thought, Sridhar Gadhi noted that AI adoption must be led by CEOs and business leaders by starting with quality data, redesigning workflows, and scaling proven solutions. Addressing the organisational readiness, Anurag Palla

Taking the discussion towards organisational readiness, Anurag Palla emphasised that preparing for AI is less about learning a new tool and more about transforming the way organisations think. “The real question is not how do you train for AI, but how do you transform. Technology is changing every week, so organisations must think in systems instead of tasks, build continuous learning and become agile enough to adapt. AI should take away repetitive work, allowing people to focus on creativity, innovation and better decision-making,” he observed. Offering the governance perspective, Kodoori Venkatesham highlighted that while AI has immense potential in surveillance, policing and public administration, responsible implementation must remain non-negotiable. “Privacy is of paramount importance. We cannot allow technology to compromise individual rights. AI has tremendous potential in governance and public safety, but we have to think deeply and use AI wisely, ensuring every implementation follows legal safeguards and ethical principles,” he said.

Across the discussion, the panellists agreed that AI’s value lies not in adoption alone but in solving clearly defined business problems, improving efficiency and decision-making, and doing so responsibly.

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