An Evening Defined by Distinction: Legal Era Marks 15th Edition of Indian Legal Awards 2026
Mumbai, 25th April 2026 An evening defined by distinction. A gathering shaped by legacy.
As Legal Era marked 15 years of the Indian Legal Awards, the milestone reflected not merely the passage of time, but the evolution of a powerful and unified legal ecosystem.
Founded in 2009, Legal Era – Legal Media Group began with a vision to advance legal awareness. Over the years, it has transformed into a global voice of the legal fraternity, with a presence across India, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa—uniting leaders, institutions, and ideas on a single platform.
Instituted in 2011, the Legal Era Awards have emerged as a distinguished benchmark of excellence—recognising leaders who go beyond the practice of law to shape its evolution, influence policy, and define enduring standards for the profession.
The 15th Edition of the Awards was graced by the presence of His Excellency, the Hon’ble Governor of Maharashtra, Jishnu Dev Varma, whose presence elevated the stature of the evening.
The event was further honoured by the presence of Justice Sanjay Karol, Judge, Supreme Court of India; Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, Judge, Supreme Court of India; Ashish Shelar, Minister for Cultural Affairs and Information Technology; Justice Manish Pitale; Justice Hiten Venegavkar; and Justice Hima Kohli, along with Dr. Prashant Narnaware, Secretary to the Governor.
Legal Era also extends its sincere gratitude to Devendra Fadnavis, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, for his gracious video message. His belief in Legal Era reflects the essence of this journey—purpose-driven and forward-looking, empowering the legal profession through initiatives in education and advocacy.
Their presence did not merely grace the evening—it defined it.
With the continued guidance and enduring support of stalwarts such as Justice B. N. Srikrishna, Justice Dipak Misra, Justice Deepak Verma, Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri, and Justice Hima Kohli, the platform continues to stand as a benchmark of credibility and influence.
The evening also acknowledged the invaluable contributions of leading figures of the legal profession, including Pravin Anand, Cyril Shroff, Shardul Shroff, Haigreve Khaitan, Rajesh Narain Gupta, Anand Desai, and Ameet Naik—whose leadership continues to shape the legal landscape.
A special recognition was extended to the in-house counsel community—the true “Sutradhar” of the legal ecosystem—including Vineet Vij, Rajbeer Sachdeva, Dr. Neera Sharma, Manjaree Chowdhary, Debolina Partap, Dr. Vivek Mittal, Amit Bhasin, Abhishekh Kanoi, Kanchinadham Parvatheesam, Kanaiya Thakker, and many others, whose contributions continue to define the profession.
The program was in association with by Ministry of Law & Justice & Association of Indian Law Firms. We thank our sponsors & partners ITC
Special thanks to Mr. Nilesh Tribhuvan, a dear friend and strong believer in Legal Era’s mission to create lasting impact in the legal profession, and echoes equally to join the initiative along with Association of Indian Law Firms. Together we work to empower the legal profession.
Speaking on the occasion, Aakriti Raizada Founder of Legal Era, said:
“What began as a vision to create awareness has today become a platform that unites the legal community. These awards are not just about recognition—they are about celebrating the values of integrity, excellence, and leadership that define the legal profession.”
As the evening celebrated excellence, it also reaffirmed a powerful truth—
Indian lawyers today are second to none.
This was not merely an evening of recognition.
It was a convergence of influence.
A glimpse into the future of law.
The first 15 years built the voice.
The next will shape the legacy.
About Legal Era
Founded in 2009, Legal Era is a global legal media and research platform committed to advancing legal awareness, education, and dialogue. With a presence across multiple regions, Legal Era continues to serve as a trusted voice of the legal community worldwide.
Here is the list of all the winners in the “In-House” segment of awards.
|
CATEGORY |
WINNER NAME |
|
Legal Team of the Year – Alco Beverages |
Pernod Ricard India Private Ltd |
|
Legal Team of the Year – Banking & Financial Services |
Axis Bank |
|
Legal Team of the Year – E-Commerce |
Nykaa |
|
– |
Zepto |
|
Legal Team of the Year – Energy And Natural Resources |
Adani Enterprises |
|
Legal Team of the Year – Fintech |
PhonePe |
|
– |
Pine Labs |
|
Legal Team of the Year – FMCG |
Marico |
|
Legal Team of the Year – Food & Beverages |
Tata Consumer Products |
|
Legal Team of the Year – Healthcare |
Wockhardt Ltd |
|
Legal Team of the Year – Hospitality |
The Indian Hotels Company Limited |
|
Legal Team of the Year – Information Technology |
Cognizant Technology Solutions India Private Limited |
|
Legal Team of the Year – Insurance |
Life Insurance Corporation of India |
|
Legal Team of the Year – Manufacturing |
Tata Steel |
|
Legal Team of the Year – Media & Entertainment |
Netflix India |
|
Legal Team of the Year – Pharma & Life Sciences |
Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd |
|
Legal Team of the Year – PSU |
OIL India Limited |
|
Legal Team of the Year – Real Estate |
Godrej Properties Limited |
|
Legal Team of the Year – Retail |
Target |
|
Legal Team of the Year – Telecommunication |
Vodafone Idea (Vi) |
|
Legal Team of the Year – Textiles & Apparel |
PDS Limited |
|
Compliance And Risk Management In-House Team of the Year |
ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India Ltd |
|
Legal Team of the Year for Innovation, Strategies & Continuous Growth |
LTI Mindtree |
|
Legal Team of the Year – Small Size (Less Than 20 People) |
ITC Hotels Ltd |
|
Legal Team of the Year – Mid Size (More Than 20 People) |
Suzlon Energy |
|
– |
Samvardhana Motherson Group |
|
Legal Team of the Year (Overall) |
Maruti Suzuki India Ltd |
|
India Legal Team of the Year |
ITC Ltd |
Here is the list of all the winners in the “Law Firms” segment of awards.
Here is the list of these winners in the “Premier League” segment of awards.
|
CATEGORY |
WINNER NAME |
|
Leadership Excellence Award for Continuous Growth As A In-House |
Parvatheesam Kanchinadham, Company Secretary & Chief Legal Officer, Tata Steel |
|
Legal Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution & Excellence & Creating Impact as a Law Leader |
Rajbeer Sachdeva, President Group Legal, JK Organisation |
|
Legal Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution & Excellence & Creating Impact as a Law Leader in Pharma & Heathcare Industry |
Debolina Partap, General Counsel, Wockhardt |
|
Legal Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution & Excellence & Creating Impact as a Law Leader in Venture Capital Fund |
Neera Sharma, Group General Counsel & CEO, Sistema Smart Technologies Limited |
|
Legal Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution & Excellence & Creating Impact as a Law Leader in IT Industry |
Vineet Vj, Group General Counsel, Tech Mahindra |
|
Legal Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution & Excellence & Creating Impact as a Law Leader in Media Industry |
Zameer Nathani, Global General Counsel, DNEG |
|
Legal Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution & Excellence as a Women Lawyer & Leader |
Pallavi Shroff, Senior Partner, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co |
|
Legal Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution & Excellence as a Media Lawyer |
Anand Desai, Managing Partner, DSK Legal |
|
Legal Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution & Excellence as a Litigation & Disputes Lawyer |
Ameet Naik, Founder & Managing Partner, Naik Naik & Co. Advocates |
|
Legal Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution & Excellence as a Law Leader in Banking & Finance Industry |
Rajesh Narain Gupta, Founder and Chairman, SNG & Partners |
|
Legal Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution & Excellence as a Corporate M&A Law Leader of the Decade |
Haigreve Khaitan, Managing Partner, Khaitan & Co |
|
Legal Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution as a Most Innovative IP Lawyer of the Decade |
Pravin Anand, Managing Partner, Anand And Anand |
|
Legal Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution & Excellence as a Corporate M&A Law Leader of the Decade |
Cyril Shroff, Managing Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas |
Here is the list of all the winners in the “Individual” segment of awards.
|
CATEGORY |
WINNER NAME |
|
Young Achiever of the Year (42 Yrs & Below) |
Anirban Gupta, Dy. General Manager – Legal & Compliance, Risk, Sustainability, Strides Pharma Science Ltd |
|
In-House Lawyer of the Year |
Sachin Saurabh, Director, Legal & Regulatory, PhonePe |
|
Managing Partner of the Year |
Cyril Shroff, Managing Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas |
|
Senior Counsel of The Year |
Ravindra Kadam, Senior Counsel, Bombay High Court |
|
Lifetime Achievement Award |
Karnal Singh, Managing Partner, Circle of Counsels |
|
India General Counsel of the Year |
Sanjeev Sachdeva, Chief Legal Officer, Elan Group |
|
– |
Nitu Agarwal, General Counsel, Yes Bank |