September 12, 2024, New Delhi, India – Today at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) India Ideas Summit, Bob Pragada, CEO of Jacobs, and Babasaheb “Baba” N. Kalyani, Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Forge, were named this year’s recipients of the Global Leadership Awards. Each year, USIBC recognizes business champions from the U.S. and India who advance the bilaterial economic relationship, making significant contributions to catalyzing growth in the U.S.-India commercial corridor. Previous awardees include Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet Inc. and Google ; Adena Friedman, President and CEO of Nasdaq, Inc.; Jeff Bezos, founder, executive chairman and former President and CEO of Amazon.
USIBC President Ambassador (ret.) Atul Keshap commended the honorees, “Bob Pragada and Baba Kalyani are not just running tremendously successful businesses; they are solving some of the world’s most complex challenges in critical infrastructure, aviation, and the energy transition. Each has dedicated incredible time and effort to advance the strategic importance of our bilateral relationship, create meaningful jobs in both our countries, and showcase the power of innovative engineering and resilient manufacturing—all with the aim of supporting sustainable economic growth and fostering human ingenuity.”
“I am grateful to the USIBC for this honor and for its leadership, guidance, and commitment to supporting business between India and the United States,” Pragada said. “India and the U.S. have enormous potential to expand their long history of collaboration, from supporting state-of-the-art digital enablement and driving workforce development to securing India’s clean energy future. Jacobs has maintained a proud presence in India for more than 50 years, with a diversified portfolio of expertise providing solutions for global critical infrastructure and the semiconductor and life sciences manufacturing sectors. We look forward to growing even further in India, supporting the next generation of advancement and prosperity for the country and the world.”
“I am humbled and greatly value this prestigious honor conferred upon me today,” said Kalyani. “As the two largest democracies, India and the United States share a strong global strategic relationship, and we at Bharat Forge take pride in contributing to growing bilateral trade and enhanced business engagement between the two countries. As India lives up to the scale of its colossal economic potential, Bharat Forge will continue pushing the boundaries of innovation with AI, Industry 5.0, and advanced defense technologies and products. For decades, the USIBC has not only been Bharat Forge’s trusted partner in business, but also shares our commitment to free enterprise, fair trade, unlocking opportunity, and solving challenges in our countries’ economic relationship.”
About the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business organization representing companies of all sizes across every sector of the economy. Our members range from the small businesses and local chambers of commerce that line the Main Streets of America to leading industry associations and large corporations.
They all share one thing: They count on the U.S. Chamber to be their voice in Washington, across the country, and around the world. For more than 100 years, we have advocated for pro-business policies that help businesses create jobs and grow our economy.
