The diversity of the cohort is striking, highlighting the many paths young professionals are taking toward success and leadership. Some are building businesses from the ground up while others are steering family enterprises into new territories. There are investors deploying capital, professionals leading organisations through change, innovators creating new products and ideas, and individuals influencing India’s legal, social and cultural landscape.
Financial services, venture capital and private equity have the highest representation this year, accounting for 17.5% of the list, with seven honorees, while those from professional services (5) account for 12.5%. Owner professionals; consumer and luxury; technology, media, telecom and legal services contribute four (10%) honorees each. Three achievers (7.5%) from the industrial sector and another two (5%) from the social sector add to the eclectic mix. Two (5%) global Indians feature on the list as well, underscoring the reach of the country’s talent across geographies.
The inclusion of five people (12.5%) from art, culture and sports is particularly significant. It recognises that some of India’s most influential voices are building their impact through creativity, cultural influence, grit, determination and on-ground performance. Women make up 11 of this year’s 40 honorees, representing 27.5% of the cohort, marking their highest representation in the list since the seventh edition.
Over the years, The Economic Times 40 under Forty has evolved into an important marker of young talent across India’s changing economy. The class of 2026 adds another 40 names to an alumni base that numbers 440, many of whom have gone on to shape businesses and institutions.
METHODOLOGY
The Economic Times has compiled its list of India’s top 40 leaders under forty — a celebration of the country’s most dynamic and promising talent — for the 12th year. The process began with the formation of a distinguished jury tasked with identifying India’s next generation of leaders.
Nominations were invited through multiple channels: self and corporate nominations; recommendations from the 440-strong ET 40 Under Forty alumni network; and inputs from leading executive search firms such as Accord and EMA Partners, among others, as well as the ET Leadership team. Together, these efforts yielded an extensive pool of over 650 nominations.
The preliminary list featured a diverse mix of professionals, entrepreneurs and owner-promoters across industries. A rigorous multi-stage evaluation followed. Team ET conducted the first round of screening, shortlisting 250 profiles based on scale, impact, innovation and value creation. Further detailed assessments, incorporating insights from ET’s senior editorial and leadership teams, along with perspectives from industry experts, narrowed this down to 113 finalists.
The jury evaluated these 113 nominees for impact, innovation, integrity, leadership, and potential for future contributions, ultimately selecting the final list of 40.
The eligibility threshold for the 2026 list was March 31, 2026 — candidates should not have turned 41 as of that date.
