For more than forty years, Baba Kalyani has been synonymous with India’s rise in engineering and defence manufacturing. This legacy was formally recognised this week as the Bharat Forge Chairman and Managing Director was named Indian of the Year 2025 in Business, one of the country’s highest honours for leadership and impact.
Amitabh Kant, Former CEO of NITI Aayog, and Justice Indu Malhotra (Retd.) presented the award, applauding Kalyani’s relentless push to elevate Indian manufacturing on the global stage. Under his leadership, Bharat Forge has grown into a multinational advanced engineering company with capabilities spanning automotive, aerospace, and defence.
Accepting the honour, Kalyani reflected on the values of discipline and resilience his grandmother instilled in him. He described India as being at a “historic inflection point,” where innovation, process transformation, and engineering excellence will define the country’s future in strategic industries.
Bharat Forge, he added, will continue to drive indigenous defence innovation and strengthen the nation’s pursuit of self-reliance.
