Hyderabad, Telangana — June 27, 2026: The Pride of Southern India Awards 2026, organized by Insights Excellence Awards, was successfully held at The Park, Hyderabad, bringing together an inspiring gathering of entrepreneurs, business leaders, healthcare professionals, innovators, and changemakers from across South India. The evening stood as a resounding tribute to leadership, innovation, and community impact, drawing more than 250 distinguished attendees from diverse sectors of the regional economy.
The event was graced by celebrated actress and public figure Smt. Jaya Prada as the Chief Guest, whose presence added grandeur to an occasion already charged with energy and anticipation. Her remarkable journey across cinema and public service resonated with the spirit of the evening, which celebrated versatility, resilience, and enduring contribution across multiple domains.
Proceedings for the Pride of Southern India Awards 2026 began at 10:30 AM with a red-carpet welcome, as nominees and guests arrived to a warm and celebratory atmosphere at The Park, Hyderabad. This was followed by the opening ceremony and a series of keynote sessions delivered by eminent industry experts and visionary leaders, offering valuable insights into entrepreneurship, business growth, innovation, and the evolving economic landscape of Southern India. These thought-provoking sessions sparked meaningful dialogue among attendees, encouraged cross-industry collaboration, and set an inspiring tone for the felicitations that followed.
After a short networking break, the spotlight shifted to the much-anticipated awards felicitations, where the region’s finest achievers took to the stage to receive their honors before an engaged and appreciative audience. The Pride of Southern India Awards 2026 was conceived as more than a ceremony; it was designed as a meeting ground where corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, healthcare practitioners, and social changemakers could gain recognition, build credibility, and forge lasting professional connections.
The defining highlight of the evening was the felicitation ceremony, where more than 100 exceptional individuals, businesses, startups, organizations, and professionals were honored for their outstanding achievements and contributions to their respective industries and communities. From healthcare and education to hospitality, technology, retail, and social welfare, the Pride of Southern India Awards 2026 recognized talent across an extraordinary breadth of fields, reaffirming the platform’s commitment to celebrating excellence in every form.
Among the distinguished honorees felicitated at the ceremony were:
- Avinash R Mugali — Customer Experience Transformation Leader of the Year
- Sagar Ramesh Tamboli (Sagility Technologies) The AI Leader of Healthcare
- Shri B. LAKSHMI KANTHAM , IAS ( R ) — TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP AWARD
- Manoj Mishra (Powerkids Entertainment) Business Leadership & Excellence – Kids Media & Entertainment
- NAGABHUSHANA RAO V (Seven Hills Facility Services Pvt Ltd) — Best Facility Management Company Award
- Ramadevu Ramkumar (Edz One International) Tech Visionary & Social Impact Leader Award
- Dr Annapurna Satapathy (Community Development Centre Ramabhadrapuram Vijayanagaram) Social Impact Leader of the Year
- Ganji Manideepa (HD Studio) Excellence in Interior Design Innovation
- Dr k Maadhavi Chandra (Kokonda Dental Hospital) — Excellence in oral healthcare award
- Rupesh Garg (Frugal Testing Product Service LLP) Entrepreneur of the year Award
- Dastagir Aneesush Shareef (Lions Club of Mehdipatnam Hyderabad) SALES AND TRADE MARKETING LEADERSHIP AWARD
- Bharat Ogirala (The Sales Gurukul) Sales Visionary of the Year 2026
- Dolika Naga Sai Ponugupati — Young Brand Ambassador of the year
- D.Reddy Kavitha (Desig electrical department ,Indian railways secunderabad) — Outstanding Leadership in Public Service & Social Impact Award 2026
- Repala Suresh Chandra (Valorise Consultancy LLP) CEO of the year Award
- Sarada devi Sane (Ecoshield Pest control) Most Admired Managing Director Award
- Jogu Ravindar (Abhinava Youth Assocation) — Inspiring Youth Organization of the Year
- Shazia Nikhat — Dynamic Women Leadership Award
- Dr Dineshwar Praad Soni — Legal Excellence in RTI & PIL Advocacy Award
- Srinivas Pindi — Powering the Future of Work with AI HR Transformation at Phenom
- Mrs. Pooja B , Ashoka Group (Ashoka Group | Since 1969) Franchise Ecosystem Builder of the Year 2026
- Venkata Siva Reddy Polu (TEKROI PRIVATE LIMITED) — Visionary Leader Empowering Intelligent Enterprises Award 2026
- Digital Mojo- Dhiraj Merani- Founder & CEO (Digital Mojo) — South India’s leading Branding and Digital Marketing Agency 2026
- Arvind Kumar- Founder & CEO (Maagoi India) — India’s Best Destination MICE & Event Management Company – 2026
- Dr. Mohammed Faraz (Dr. Mohammed Faraz) — Rising Star in Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation 2026
- Dr. Amreen Sadaf (Dr. Amreen Sadaf) Young Healthcare Achiever in Physiotherapy 2026
- A. Mounika (Chocolate Kids Play School) Outstanding Play School Founder Award
- Nizam’s Professional Catering & Events (Mohd Shaik Ashraf) Nizam’s professional culinary excellence award
- VMK Designs & Constructions (V Mohan Krishna) — Visionary Leader in Construction & Infrastructure Development – 2026
- Ms. Sharon Fernandes — Empowering Women, Inspiring Change – captures her mission through She’s Indi
- Deepika Sinha Srivastava (LTM) — Contribution in Information Technologu and Pageantry Award 2026
- D S Kiran Kumar — Excellence in Food Innovation Award
- Dr. Amena Begum (NTR Govt Degree College for women) — Academic Excellence Award in Education
- Dr. AFSAR SHAREEF S. N.H (STAR HOSPITALS, Hyderabad) Excellence in Prosthodontics & Implant Dentistry Award
- Mr. Matam Ashok Kumar swamy (Shri Shri Abhayanjaneya Mahadevi Pochamma thalli Devalayam) — Best Temple Pandit of the Year
- Mr Mohd Imtiyaz (Imtiyaz Shahi Dastar) — Young Entrepreneur in Catering
- Mohd Aqueel Yousuf (Aliza Caterers) — Hyderabad’s Top Caterers 2026 – Excellence Recognition Award (India no.1 price 32 items only 450 per head)
- Davan Soha (FLAMINGO CELEBRITIES WORLD FILM ACADEMY) Cultural Impact in Cinema Award
- (Fitmap) Visionary Leadership in Health & Wellness
- Seema Begum (Zoi hospital) Outstanding Healthcare Pharmacist of The Year 2026
- Mohammed Sajeed Ali (Royal Para Medical & Vocational Jr College) — Education Icon of the year 2026
- Gulam Ahmed (Sohail) (IT Mart) Retail and E- Commerce Innovator of the Year 2026
- Ms. Bharti Garg (Frugal Testing Product Service LLP) — CTO of the Year
- Vishwanandan Narayan — Outstanding President Leadership Award
- A MD RAFI (NEWS PAPER ( SANJE JWALEY )) — Excellence in news reporting
- Mohd Rashed (Rashed catrers) — Pride of Hyderabad 2026 – Best Caterers of the Year Award
- Mr. M A.Wajeed (TechnoGATE Education) Best Educational Institute in Telangana & Andhrapradesh
- Deepika Jagneesh (AI trainer) — Most Influential AI Educator of the Year
- Praveen Kumar Machavaram (Vice President (Operations, Corporate Comm & Sales)) — Excellence in Corporate Communication & Branding Leadership Award
- Srinivas Nagadevara Rao (Head HR) Lifetime Excellence in Human Resources Leadership & Industrial Relations
- Mr Umair Ahmed (Owner) Taste of Nawab Hyderabad
- Mohammed Ali (BOMBAY CHOWPATI CHAT BHANDAR) — Best Chaat Destination of the Year
- Moses Bora (Refuel IV Wellness (Alt: “Exodus Ventures”)) — Innovator in concierge Healthcare
- GOUNI BHASKARGOUD (SVM HOTEL’S) TELANGANA MASTER CHEF AWARD
- Dr. Santhosh Kumar Edelli (Akshara hospital)
- Dr PRASADA RAO DUSI (Physio connect & spinal motion clinic)
- Dr. Sanjay Ghoshal (UCC Holding) — GLOBAL LEADER (MIDDLE EAST & INDIA) – WORLD CLASS PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN OIL & GAS & INFRASTRUCTURE
This diverse roster of winners reflects the true character of the Pride of Southern India Awards 2026, a platform that honors achievement not by scale or sector, but by the depth of impact each honoree has created within their field. From healthcare pioneers and hospitality entrepreneurs to educators, technologists, and social advocates, every name on this list represents a story of perseverance and purpose that continues to shape Southern India’s growth narrative.
The Pride of Southern India Awards 2026 concluded on a high note with a gala networking lunch, where honorees and guests exchanged ideas, strengthened professional ties, and reflected on a shared commitment to excellence. Beyond the trophies and titles, the event reinforced the belief that recognition, when rooted in genuine merit, has the power to inspire entire communities toward greater achievement.
Insights Excellence Awards continues to expand its footprint across India and beyond, curating platforms that spotlight leadership, innovation, and social impact across sectors as varied as healthcare, technology, hospitality, and education. The Pride of Southern India Awards 2026 stands as yet another milestone in this journey — a celebration that not only honored individual excellence but also strengthened the collective spirit of enterprise and service across the region.
