Naukri.com founder gets Padma Shri; Padma Bhushan for Anand Mahindra, Venu Srinivasan
According to a home ministry statement, Bikhchandani has been given Padma Shri in the category of trade and industry
Sanjeev Bikhchandani, founder and vice-chairman of Naukri.com, India's leading job site, was on Saturday conferred with Padma Shri, one of the highest civilian awards.
Mahindra group Chairman Anand Mahindra and TVS Group chief Venu Srinivasan have also been awarded the Padma Bhushan, a home ministry statement said.
According to a home ministry statement, Bikhchandani has been given Padma Shri in the category of trade and industry.
His company also runs Jeevansathi.com, 99acres.com, and Shiksha.com. In addition, it has made strategic investments in promising web startups such as Zomato, Policybazaar, Shopkirana, and Ustraa.
Naukri.com founder Sanjeev Bikhchandani and Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra
He graduated from IIM Ahmedabad in 1989. Starting off from a servant quarter above a garage and seed capital of Rs 2,000, the entrepreneur's company grew and attracted investments from leading global venture capitalists.
It was the first Internet company to list on Indian stock exchanges. Today, the company employs over 4,000 people and has a market capitalisation of over $4.5 billion.
Bikhchandani is also the founding trustee of Ashoka University.
Meanwhile, the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, also congratulated its professors and an alumnus who have been conferred with Padma awards.
In a statement, IIT-Madras Director Baskar Ramamurthy said, "The institute congratulates all three awardees for the well deserved honour in recognition of their work and contributions".
Pradeep Thalappil, a professor in the chemistry department of the institute, and Prem Watsa, Founder-Chairman of Fairfax Financial Holdings and IIT-Madras alumnus (1971 batch) were awarded the Padma Shri -- the fourth highest civilian honour of the country.
TVS Group chief Srinivasan is also an honorary professor at the premier institute.
The Padma Shri for this year has been awarded to a total of 118 eminent personalities across fields of art, literature and education, medicine, trade and industry, sports, public affairs, social work and science and engineering.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated the Padma awardees, saying they include extraordinary people.
"Congratulations to all those who have been conferred the Padma Awards," he tweeted.
(Edited by Megha Reddy)
