BW People HR 40 Under 40 Awards 2025

03 November 2025 | Taj, MG Road, Bengaluru
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The Gala Awards Night

Recognising HR leaders isn’t just a nice gesture – it’s a business necessity. Prioritising recognition of young leaders gives higher employee engagement. Young HR leaders, who often spearhead recognition programs for others, themselves need meaningful acknowledgment for their strategic contributions. In today’s evolving scenario, by fostering an industry culture where young HR leaders feel valued, the HR community not only enhances their motivation and retention rates but also strengthen overall workplace culture, resulting in multi-fold likelihood of achieving strong business outcomes.

BW People HR 40 Under 40 awards not only honour individual excellence but also aim to highlight the evolving role of HR as a strategic business partner, fostering a community of future leaders who are eager to drive positive change and redefine the world of work in an increasingly dynamic environment.


What you get when you nominate?


✓ Celebrating excellence
✓ Inspiring peers and youngsters
✓ Recognition and validation


✓ Showcasing impact
✓ Benchmarking
✓ Professional development


✓ Attracting better opportunities
✓ Constructive feedback from Jury
✓ Motivation to do better



Important: Nomination Guidelines
  • Only HR professionals under the age of 40 as of 15 March 2025 are eligible.
  • Nominees should demonstrate excellence in HR innovation, business-aligned HR, technology implementation, strategy execution, or platform development.
  • Nominations must be submitted online by the stated deadline to be considered for evaluation by the Jury.
  • Incomplete, misleading, or incorrect submissions may be disqualified. Providing false information will lead to cancellation.
  • Nomination fee is mandatory. It covers processing and jury presentation but does not ensure an award.
  • Ensure the form is fully completed before making payment. No edits are allowed post-payment. Unpaid entries will be considered invalid.
  • Each individual nominee can submit only one entry.
  • Organizations may submit multiple nominations for different HR leaders. Each requires a separate fee.
  • All supporting documents must be uploaded in the required format at the time of submission. Incomplete forms may be rejected.
  • Documents must be accessible across all major browsers and platforms. Password-protected files will not be accepted.
  • The Jury may request additional information during the evaluation. Failure to provide this may result in disqualification.

Jury Process

★ After preliminary internal screening of the nominations by the organisers, the nominations are presented before the eminent Jury for fair and thorough evaluation of each nomination.

★ The eminent Jury comprises of very senior CXOs/ CHROs/ HR industry leaders from corporate and senior leaders from academia. On the date of the final Jury evaluation, through a virtual presentation, the nominees are required to present an elevator pitch before the Jury members.


  • Key judging parameters
Key judging parameters
  • Clear objective – What challenge is the HR initiative addressing?
  • Innovative approach – What was unique or creative about the solution?
  • Agile strategy – How agile and adaptable is the HR strategy?
  • Execution excellence – How well was it designed, developed, and delivered?
  • Inclusion of new technology in the initiatives
  • Measurable impact and ROI – What were the tangible results (in numbers) and business benefits (e.g., improved performance, increased sales, reduced errors, higher retention)?
  • Scalability and sustainability – Can the initiative be expanded or sustained over time?
  • Learner-centricity – How did it truly meet the needs of the business and industry?
  • What is the long-term contribution to the HR industry?
  • Why should the nominee get this award – evaluation of outstanding work and the potential to excel
Who should nominate?
⦿ Mid-to-Senior Level HR person
⦿ HR Business Partner (HRBP)
⦿ Talent Acquisition Manager/Lead
⦿ Learning & Development Manager/Lead
⦿ Talent Management Manager/Lead
⦿ Compensation & Benefits Manager/Specialist
⦿ HRIS Manager/Specialist (HR Technology)
⦿ L&D managers/ leaders




⦿ Employee Engagement/Experience Manager
⦿ Associate Director – HR / Director – HR
⦿ Vice President (VP) – HR / Head of HR (for a business unit)
⦿ HR Generalist
⦿ HR Analyst/Specialist
⦿ Training facilitators / deliverers
⦿ Internal champions / advocates for learning

FAQs

  • What is the process of nomination?
  • Are there modifications possible once the nomination form is filled?
  • Is the nomination fee refundable?
  • Can an institution nominate for multiple awards?
What is the process of nomination?
There is an online process for submission of nominations. Individuals under 40 who have done substantial work in HR can register, access and fill the nomination form, submit relevant documents and make the nomination fees payment for completing the process.
Are there modifications possible once the nomination form is filled?
Changes are not possible once the nomination form is filled and submitted. Please fill the form correctly and to the best of your knowledge. Providing wrong information can make the nomination liable to rejection.
Is the nomination fee refundable?
The nomination fee is non-refundable and paying the nomination fees does not guarantee an award. Nomination fees is taken for nomination screening process and arranging the jury for awards.    
Can an institution nominate for multiple awards?
Yes, multiple nominations can be filled by organisations for their young HR leaders with separate nomination fee for each nomination.
  • Can a nominee submit the nomination form now and pay nomination fees later?
  • How to make the payment for nomination?
  • Can I submit my documents for nomination and not appear in front of Jury for evaluation?
Can a nominee submit the nomination form now and pay nomination fees later?
Without the payment of nomination fees, the nomination process is incomplete, and the form is liable to get rejected.
How to make the payment for nomination?
Once the nomination form is filled, the nominee is directed to a payment page with a link. If there are problems in processing the payment, kindly go to the Contact Us section on this website and contact our team.
Can I submit my documents for nomination and not appear in front of Jury for evaluation?
Presenting the elevator pitch in front of the Jury is mandatory. It is a live virtual meet and confirmation for the time to present before the Jury is confirmed from all eligible nominees before the jury meet.