CII celebrates outstanding contribution of tech leaders towards innovation and Digital transformation at the 2nd edition of CIO Excellence Awards 2023

Confederation of India Industry (CII) announced the winners of the CIO Excellence Awards 2023 at a glittering ceremony, attended by over 200 CIOs. The awards have been instituted by CII –Center for Digital Transformation (CDT) with Protiviti Global as the technical partners. This was the 2nd edition of the CIO Excellence Awards which recognized the contribution made by CIOs as flag bearers of digital transformation which has enabled innovation and enhanced competitiveness of industry across sectors.

Mr G Narendra Nath, Joint Secretary, National Security Council Secretariat Government of India, in his Special address in the Inaugural Session , congratulated the winners and emphasized the importance of addressing cybersecurity challenges during the system generation process rather than after its completion. He said “Security is not merely a requirement; it serves as the very foundation upon which the system's architecture is constructed.”

Dr Pavan Duggal, Advocate, Supreme Court of India & Chairman, International Commission on Cyber Security Law, in his Keynote address,highlighted the need for cyber resilience. He said in his address “Cybersecurity and Artificial intelligence (AI) aim to enhance safety, however, there are still significant vulnerabilities.Digital identities are increasingly at risk. As Artificial intelligence (AI) becomes integrated, prioritizing cyber resilience becomes the key to safeguarding your interests."

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Mr Vijay Thadani, Co- Chair, Centre for Digital Transformation & Vice Chairman & Managing Director, NIIT Ltd, in his address said “ I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the distinguished CIO Excellence award recipients. Your outstanding contributions have not gone unnoticed, and it brings us immense pleasure to affirm that we found your submissions as delightful to read as you did in making them. Your achievements have had a profound impact, and we eagerly anticipate your continued success.” .Mr Thadani  emphasized the critical importance of data quality in the context of Artificial intelligence (AI). He expressed, “the effectiveness of Artificial intelligence (AI) is intrinsically linked to the quality of data it relies upon. In today's digital landscape, the quality of data remains the bedrock of AI's potential and influence.”

Mr. J S Deepak, Former Secretary, Telecom and Secretary, Electronics & Information Technology, GoI, was on of the Jury members and while addressing the CIOs and delegates  he said  “Most of you present in this room embody the ethos that make people like us proud to witness your efforts. By pioneering these innovations, you exemplify ingenuity and serve as living examples of value. Remember, success is a journey rather than a destination, and you have the ability to make a difference. All that's required is the unwavering will to continue making this difference!"

Nominations for the awards were received from CIOs across the country. After the initial assessment and screening of the submissions by CDT and Protiviti team, the recommendations were further evaluated by a Steering Committee comprising of CIOs from diverse industries. The final selection of awardees was made by a stellar jury comprising of Dr Gulshan Rai, Former DG, CERT-in & Former National Cybersecurity Coordinator-PMO, Mr Kiran Karnik, Former President - NASSCOM | Founder Director - ISRO’s Development and Educational Communicational Unit, Mr J S Deepak, Former Secretary, Telecom and Secretary Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India and Mr Sunil Chandiramani, Chairman - Sapphire Foods, Founder & CEO NYKA Advisory Services along with Chairman of the Jury Mr Vijay Thadani.

This year’s CIO award winners represent diverse set of enterprises who have displayed exemplary capabilities and achievements.

List of Award Winners for the various categories are as under: -

Sector Recognition as CIO of the Year –

Mr Vinod Gopinathan, Ashok Leyland -  for Auto & Auto Ancillaries

Mr Vaidyanathan Venkataraman, Unity Small Finance Bank Limited – for BFSI & Fintech

Mr Deepak B Kolekar, Godrej Agrovet Limited -for  Consumer Products

Mr Nirvan Biswas, National Bulk Handling Corporation -for  Services

Ms Annapurna Vishwanathan, Cummins India Limited -for  Industrial Manufacturing

3 November 2023

New Delhi