Kerala’s top businesspeople, including the heads of some of the Rs 1000+ crore companies and patriarchs of major family-run businesses, attended the prestigious Dhanam Business Summit and Award Nite 2025, held on June 25 at Kochi.
The 17th edition of the Summit, hosted at Le Méridien Convention Centre, drew around 1,000 delegates from across India and abroad. Organised by Dhanam Business Media, the publishers of Dhanam Business Magazine, and hundreds of entrepreneurs and professionals, the event brought together a mix of established industrialists, startup founders, investors, professionals, and thought leaders for a day of discussions, reflections, and recognition.
Panel highlights success secrets
The summit began with a high-level panel discussion featuring the well-known heads of three companies with annual revenues exceeding ₹1,000 crore. Joy Alukkas, founder of the Joyalukkas Group; Aju Jacob, managing director of Synthite Industries and V. Naushad, managing director of Walkaroo International; were frank about their business and management experiences and talked about their strategies that brought success.
The conversation focused on scaling up businesses beyond Kerala and Indian borders, embracing digital transformation, and adapting to global market dynamics. The session was moderated by Naveen Philip, managing director of Popular Vehicles & Services, who steered the discussion with practical insights into Kerala’s business potential.
Joy Alukkas, whose jewellery retail chain has established its brand in almost a dozen countries, including the US and the UK, quipped that it was the ‘bandh’ culture of Kerala’s past that had driven him to open his first branch in the UAE. He, however, noted that the ‘bandh’ culture had now changed, and both the people and the political class had become business-positive. All three discussants asserted that they gave top priority to training, motivating, and incentivising their employees. They believed in bringing their talented and experienced executives up the ladder to take senior management positions.
Guneet Monga’s night
Oscar-winning film producer Guneet Monga Kapoor addressed the audience with a candid talk about navigating setbacks in personal and professional life. Sharing her journey from a modest upbringing to the global film stage, Monga spoke about the importance of clarity, courage, purpose, and hard work.
She noted that not all challenges stem from personal fault — sometimes, external factors cause disruptions, and it’s about finding a way forward. Her talk resonated strongly with the audience and received a warm response. She recalled that purchasing a house in Delhi at age 22 for her parents was one of her greatest achievements. Unfortunately, both the parents did not live to enjoy the stay in the new house, she added.
Cash in green economy: Thummarukudy
Muralee Thummarukudy, a senior leader of the United Nations Environment Programme, highlighted the global potential of the green economy, citing projections that it could reach $10 trillion by 2050 and create 42 million jobs. He called for new academic courses focused on climate, energy, and sustainability, especially in states like Kerala.
According to him, sectors such as solar energy and waste management could become key employment generators in the coming decades.
Entrepreneurship with social value
In a session titled “The New Age of Entrepreneurship: Creating Impact Beyond Profit”, KEF Holdings founder Faizal Kottikollon, in his special video address, spoke on how business can become a tool for community transformation.
Recounting his work in healthcare, education, and wellness, he said the question guiding his efforts was always: what can we give back to society through business? His views added an ethical layer to the summit’s overall theme of responsible growth.
Dhanam ‘Power List’ released
A notable highlight of the event was the release of the Dhanam Power List, which features Kerala-headquartered companies that have crossed the ₹1,000 crore revenue mark.
The initiative aims to recognise local businesses that have built national and global presence. Organisers believe it will inspire emerging entrepreneurs to scale up with confidence.
Kerala’s iconic business leaders recognised
The event concluded with the Dhanam Business Awards 2025 presented across multiple categories. Joy Alukkas, chairman of the Joyalukkas Group, received Dhanam Businessman of the Year Award. The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Jose Dominic, co-founder of CGH Earth. Venkittaraman Ramachandran, whole-time director & COO of V-Guard Industries, received the Business Professional of the Year award, while Danesa Raghulal, executive director of Elite Group, was honoured as Woman Entrepreneur of the Year. CloudSEK was named Startup of the Year, with founder and CEO Rahul Sasi accepting the award.
Commented a participant after the summit: “The spirit of entrepreneurship is no longer the preserve of a few families in Kerala – it has become a widespread movement and in the days ahead, we will be celebrating many new success stories coming from the vibrant business environment here.” Said Kurian Abraham, Chief Editor & Chairman of Dhanam Publications: “Our mission is to inspire business success and foster a pro-business mindset in Kerala. We are happy that we have inspired many to take the leap into entrepreneurship.”
With packed sessions, diverse participation, and an emphasis on sustainability and inclusive growth, the Dhanam Business Summit and Award Nite 2025 concluded on a strong note. Several delegates expressed their intention to return next year, viewing the summit as a meaningful platform for business exchange and strategic direction.
