Chief Minister VD Satheesan presented the honors at an event co-hosted by Profit News and the ICTEP Council.
KOCHI, India — Prominent business leaders and entrepreneurs received honors for leadership and entrepreneurial excellence at the second edition of the Profit Tusker Awards 2026, held at Vivanta by Taj in Ernakulam. Jointly organized by Profit News and the ICTEP Council, the ceremony brought together top executives, investors, and emerging founders from diverse industry sectors.
Chief Minister VD Satheesan, who attended as the chief guest, presented the awards to the recipients. Addressing the gathering, Satheesan pledged comprehensive support for individuals establishing business ventures within and outside Kerala. He announced measures to streamline licensing processes and reinforce the single-window clearance system to reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks for entrepreneurs.
Thomas George Muthoot, Joint Managing Director of Muthoot Pappachan Group, received the Businessman of the Year award. Dr. Viju Jacob, Executive Chairman of Synthite Industries, was named Entrepreneur of the Year. Dr. Siddeek Ahmed, Chairman and Managing Director of Eram Holdings, took the NRI Entrepreneur of the Year award, while Mathew Muthoot, Managing Director of Muthoot Mcred Limited, won Most Promising Entrepreneur.
Dr. J. Rajmohan Pillai, Chairman of Beta Group, received the Global Entrepreneurship and Innovation Award. Altaf Jahangir, CEO and Executive Director of Nest Group, was named Young Entrepreneur, with Thomas Abraham, Vice President of SFO Technologies, accepting the honor on his behalf. Sabu Johny, Managing Director of EVM Group, earned the Industry Leadership Excellence award in the automobile sector.
Muthoot Mcred Limited CEO P.E. Mathai received the Lifetime Achievement in Career Excellence award marking 50 years of professional service. Neurosurgeon Dr. Arun Oommen took the Excellence in Health and Social Activities award.
Awards for growth and transformation went to Suresh Kumar P.P., Chairman of Kerala Vision and KCCL (The Network Titan of India); N.K. Kurian, founder of Mango Meadows Agricultural Theme Park (Iconic Agri and Nature Tourism); and Manoj V. Raman, Chairman and Managing Director of Maxvalue Credits and Investments Limited (Excellence in Innovative Financial Services).
Dr. M.P. Chandran, Chairman of Asia Charitable Trust and President of JG University, received the Excellence in Academic Innovation award, accepted on his behalf by trustee Jose Mathew. Other honorees included George John Valath, Chairman and Managing Director of Richmax Group (Emerging NBFC Brand); Jayakumar Mohanachandran, CEO and Co-founder of F9 Infotech (Trusted Technology Brand); Ashokan K.V., Chairman of Kairali Agriculture Multi-State Co-operative Society (Excellence in Carbon Neutral Initiatives); and Johnson C. Abraham, Executive Director of Chavara Matrimony (Excellence in Matchmaking Services).
The jury also recognized achievements in technology, operational scale, and niche services. Honors went to Naval Ditto, Founder and CEO of Coligo (Excellence in Technology Innovation); Manoj P. Joseph, Director of Neural Network Pvt Ltd (Excellence in IT Infrastructure Solutions); Danni Antony, Managing Director of Zero Degree Group (Excellence in OOH Innovation); C.M. Mujeeb, Director of Home Craves (Excellence in Frozen Snacks Manufacturing); and Sahad A.K., CEO of Arecco (Most Promising NRI Businessman).
Profit News directors Kiran James, Alan John, and Rajasree Varma attended alongside ICTEP Council Secretary General U.S. Kutty, Chairman Dr. T. Vinayakumar, and Director K. Raveendran.
