Digital infrastructure will have a transformative impact on leaders of tomorrow: V Vaidyanathan, MD & CEO IDFC First Bank

NEW DELHI: IDFC First Bank managing director and CEO V Vaidyanathan has said digital infrastructure will have a transformative impact on leaders of tomorrow.

“The impact cannot be overstated. With digital connectivity, including Aadhaar and Bharat’s optic network, India has achieved a remarkable feat, formalising the economy, notably for MSMEs. Over 100 million merchants now deal digitally through QR codes, facilitating trade and enabling micro-businesses. The optimistic MSME outlook stems frocollective efforts of the government, RBI, and banks, coupled with robust asset quality, digitisation, and ongoing infrastructure investments, empowering micro-entrepreneurs in India,” Vaidyanathan said at the ET Now Leaders of Tomorrow Awards on Friday.

At the event commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said that an American fund house is looking to invest around $50 billion in India in the next 10 years, which is a reflection of the country’s strong macroeconomic fundamentals. The fund house has so far invested around $13 billion in the country. The comments came on a day the minister met Henry R Kravis, co-founder and co-executive chairman of KKR. TOI had reported Goyal’s speech on Saturday.



Swarup Bose of Celsius Logistics Solutions was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year, while Mohammad Hamza of Engineering and Environmental Solutions bagged the award for the Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Jayashree Nair won the award for the Woman Entrepreneur of the Year.

Marico chairman Harsh Mariwala and Salesforce chairperson and CEO Arundhati Bhattacharya were among the jury members.

The ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ Awardees are: