Manish Bhardwaj, IAS
Deputy Director General, Unique Identification Authority of IndiaGovernment of India
Honouring the People Building India’s AI Future
2027 awards: to be announced
70+Award titles
300+Industry leaders in attendance
5+Jury members
ABOUT THE AWARDS
Recognition for AI that works for India.
The awards celebrate the innovators, policymakers, enterprises and startups who are redefining the boundaries of Artificial Intelligence in India. They spotlight pioneering efforts that harness AI for public good, enterprise transformation, governance and sustainable development.
From empowering citizens and enabling smarter governance to driving breakthroughs in healthcare, fintech and education, they honour those at the forefront of India’s AI revolution.
AWARD CATEGORIES
Six groups. 96 award titles.
The categories as published for the 2026 edition. Categories for the next edition may change.
AI Enterprise & Application26 categories
- AI for Immersive Content Experience
- AI in Workforce Enablement Award
- AI-Powered Algorithms for Media & Entertainment
- AI in Robotics Utilization & Machine Learning
- Best AI Integration in Gaming Experience
- AI Use in Navigation & Travel Assistance
- AI in Learning & Skill Development
- AI in Recruitment, Screening & Evaluation
- AI-Powered Data Safeguard & Privacy Award
- AI in Retail Buying & Forecasting
- AI in Aerospace & Allied Services
- AI in Banking & Process Automation
- Best Use of AI in Automotive & Ancillary Industries
- AI-Enabled Crop Insights & Weather Prediction
- AI in Health & Pharma Intervention
- Intelligent Marketing Optimization Award
- AI-Enabled Conversational & Voice Assistance
- AI for Enhanced Supply Chain Management
- Smart AI Workforce Optimization Award
- Best Use of AI in Logistics & Distribution
- AI for Mobility Enhancement & Transit
- AI in Product Development & Innovation
- AI-Powered Financial Decision-Making
- AI for Risk & Compliance Management
- AI Implementation in E-commerce Operations & Insights
- AI Innovation in Cybersecurity
Business Transformation & Innovation13 categories
- Best AI Innovation in Traffic Regulation
- Responsible AI Implementation Award
- Generative AI Transformation Award
- AI-Driven Personalization Award
- AI Infrastructure Excellence Award
- Enterprise AI Adoption Trailblazer
- Unified AI Ecosystem Excellence Award
- Real-Time AI Intelligence Award
- Intelligent Automation Champion
- Strategic AI Solution Partner of the Year
- AI Excellence in IoT Integration
- AI Innovation in Customer Engagement
- Responsible AI Pioneer Award
Smart Tech & AI Engineering16 categories
- Conversational AI & NLP Excellence
- Customer Experience AI Solution of the Year
- Computer Vision & Network Monitoring Award
- Intelligent Data Management Solution
- AI Strategy & Consulting Firm of the Year
- AI Transformation Award in Audio & Visual Creation
- Best AI-Powered SaaS Product
- Best Enterprise AI Platform of the Year
- Best AI Innovation in DeepTech
- Best Use of AI in Threat Detection & Insights
- Cloud AI Service Provider of the Year
- Predictive Intelligence Solution of the Year
- AI Innovation for Industry Applications
- AI Deployment & Marketplace Enabler
- AI Validation & Testing Excellence
- AI Development & Implementation Award (GPS, Product Design, Last-Mile Delivery, Robotics, Surveillance Tech, Self-Driven Cars, Chatbots, VR)
AI in Governance4 categories
- AI for Public Service Delivery Excellence
- Outstanding Citizen Engagement Initiative
- Data-Driven Governance Award
- AI for E-Governance Initiatives
AI Startups19 categories
- Most Promising AI Startup
- AI Startup of the Year
- Disruptive AI Innovation Award
- AI for Enterprise Solutions
- AI in Healthcare Innovation
- Generative AI Startup Excellence
- AI for Sustainability Award
- Ethical AI Innovation by a Startup
- AI for Social Impact
- Human-Centered AI Design Award
- AI-Powered Platform Innovation
- Outstanding AI Research Commercialization
- Emerging Startup in AI Infrastructure
- Explainable AI Champion Startup
- Fastest Growing AI Startup
- Global Impact by an AI Startup
- AI IP and Patents Excellence Award
- AI Talent Development by a Startup
- Emerging AI Entrepreneur of the Year
AI Leadership18 categories
- AI Leader of the Year
- AI Thought Leadership Award
- AI Policy Visionary Award
- AI Innovator in Public Sector
- Chief AI Officer of the Year
- AI Academic Leader
- AI Governance Champion
- Global AI Influencer Award
- AI Startup Leader of the Year
- AI & Ethics Champion
- Corporate AI Strategy Leader
- AI for Inclusion & Accessibility Advocate
- AI Talent Development Champion
- AI & Data Privacy Leadership Award
- Visionary AI Educator
- AI R&D Leadership Award
- Public-Private AI Collaboration Leader
- AI-Powered Cybersecurity Leader
WHY NOMINATE
What a nomination brings.
National recognition
Showcase your innovation at India’s flagship AI platform and gain recognition from top policymakers, industry leaders and experts driving the nation’s digital transformation.
Credibility & trust
Earn a mark of excellence that enhances your organisation’s credibility and strengthens trust among clients, collaborators and investors.
Business & collaboration opportunities
Showcase your AI solutions to potential partners, enterprises and government bodies exploring transformative collaborations.
Networking access
Engage directly with policymakers, startup founders, investors and innovators leading India’s AI revolution.
HOW IT WORKS
From nomination to the stage.
Nomination
Open to startups, enterprises, public sector teams and individual leaders across sectors, in the categories published for the edition.
Evaluation
A thorough evaluation by the organising committee and the jury, ensuring fairness in the selection process.
Felicitation
Winners are honoured on stage at the Elets India AI Summit.
PAST JURY
The jury behind the 2026 awards.
Roles as listed for the 2026 edition.
Dr. Ravi Gupta
Founder & CEO, Elets Technomedia; Editor-in-Chief, Elets MagazineElets Technomedia
Deepak Sharma
Tech Entrepreneur & CXO Advisor; Independent DirectorSuryoday Small Finance Bank
PAST EDITIONS
Where the awards have been.
2026 New Delhi
India AI Awards 2026
Presented on 22 January 2026 at Eros Hotel, Nehru Place, New Delhi: 70+ award titles across six groups, with a jury of 5+ members.
- AI Enterprise & Application
- Business Transformation & Innovation
- Smart Tech & AI Engineering
- AI in Governance
- AI Startups
- AI Leadership
2024 Bengaluru
3rd Elets Startup Awards
Presented at the 1st India AI Summit in Bengaluru, with a ceremony on 11–12 July 2024, alongside awards for public sector initiatives.
Startup categories
- Manufacturing
- Retail and E-commerce
- Fintech
- Life Sciences and Healthcare
- Traveltech
- Others
- Individual Awards
Public sector categories
- AI Policy Leadership
- Infrastructure and Development
- Innovation in Policy and Regulation
- Innovation and Technology
- Public Sector Initiatives
- Collaboration and Partnership
- Special Recognition