Kochi is all set to host one of Kerala’s most anticipated business events of the year. The Dhanam Business Summit and Award Nite will take place at Le Meridien Convention Centre, Kochi this afternoon bringing together a wide cross-section of business leaders, brand-builders, investors, and startups under one roof.
The summit will kick off with registration at 2:30 PM, followed by a panel discussion at 3:40 PM, expected to feature some of the state's most influential corporate voices. Naveen Philip, managing director of Popular Vehicles and Services, will moderate the session, which includes speakers like Joy Alukkas, Aju Jacob of Synthite Industries and V Noushad of Walkaroo International.
The conversation is likely to explore how Kerala’s business landscape is shifting — with long-standing players adapting to new models and emerging firms pushing for scale.
Among the honours to be presented, Joy Alukkas has been named Businessman of the Year, while Jose Dominic, co-founder of CGH Earth, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. Venkittaraman Ramachandran of V-Guard will be recognised as Business Professional of the Year, and Danesa Raghulal of Elite Group has been selected as Woman Entrepreneur of the Year. The Startup Award will go to CloudSEK, a fast-growing cybersecurity intelligence firm founded by Rahul Sasi.
The summit will also see the launch of the book ‘10 Inspiring Achievers’, curated by Dhanam Business Media. It brings together stories of enterprise and endurance from across Kerala’s diverse business sectors.
Breaking from the strictly corporate tone, the event will feature two-time Oscar-winning film producer Guneet Monga as a special guest. Known for The Elephant Whisperers and Period. End of Sentence., Guneet is the founder of Sikhya Entertainment and is expected to offer insights into how Indian storytelling is gaining global traction — and how business and culture often intersect in unexpected ways.
One of the major draws for attendees will be the expo zone, featuring over 20 exhibition stalls from a wide range of companies. Many of them have already made a mark on national and international platforms.
The stalls aim to provide a platform for networking, collaboration, and fresh business leads — especially for those exploring cross-sector partnerships.
The event is seeing strong support from across Kerala’s industrial and financial landscape. Synthite Industries leads as the Diamond Sponsor. On the gold tier are Manappuram Finance, IBS Software, Group Meeran, Pittappillil Agencies, Richmax Finvest, and SCMS Group.
Silver partners include ESAF Small Finance Bank, Unimoni, Benny’s Royal Tours and Travels, Indel Money, Paragon, Manekancor, Meitra Hospital, K-BIP, Cochin Shipyard, FACT, Canara Bank, Bharat Petroleum, KSIDC and Invest Kerala.
The summit also brings in a set of functional partners: Ergo Consulting as event partner, Eallisto Energies as energy partner, and KENPRIMO as digital partner. On the communications front, Aiswaria Ooh Media handles outdoor advertising, Red FM joins as radio partner, Dailyhunt serves as leverage partner, and Premagic supports AI marketing.