5 Inspiring Takeaways from Maharashtrian of the Year Award Winners

Awards often go beyond honouring individuals — they highlight the values society wishes to celebrate. The Maharashtrian of the Year Awards by Lokmat Times are a reflection of such recognition, spanning diverse fields from entrepreneurship and social impact to creativity and resilience. These winners remind us that progress is not measured in one way but through the multiple paths that lead to collective betterment.

Here are five meaningful lessons we can learn from the recipients.

1. Innovation Improves Access – Peyush Bansal

When Peyush Bansal received the award in 2022 for reshaping eyewear retail, it wasn’t only about business expansion. His vision was to make corrective glasses affordable and available to a much larger section of society. By doing so, he addressed a basic health and lifestyle need in a country where accessibility often remains an obstacle.

What stands out in Bansal’s achievement is how he identified a space people rarely viewed as innovative and turned it into a sector-wide revolution. This teaches us that impactful innovation isn’t always about technology breakthroughs. Sometimes, it is about solving everyday challenges more efficiently. His journey raises an important question — how many sectors around us remain underdeveloped simply because we don’t rethink them?

2. Creativity Shapes Identity – Varun Dhawan

Cinema has always had an outsized influence in India, often shaping how people speak, dream, and imagine their lives. Varun Dhawan’s award in 2023 recognised not just his performances but also his ongoing contribution to Indian films as a cultural force. His body of work resonates with younger audiences while still appealing across generations.

This recognition highlights the broader role of creative industries in society. Films are not just stories on screen; they are shared experiences that help form cultural identity. Dhawan’s career demonstrates that actors can serve as custodians of collective imagination. It makes us ask: what kind of narratives are we supporting, and how do they shape our society’s future?

3. Leadership Is About Giving Back – Abhay Bhutada

In 2024, Abhay Bhutada was honoured for his role in community development across Maharashtra. Beyond his achievements in business and finance, his lasting impact has been through the Abhay Bhutada Foundation, which focuses on education, skill-building, and youth empowerment. The Foundation’s initiatives, including distributing STEM kits in schools, have created opportunities for students from underprivileged backgrounds.

Bhutada’s award is a reminder that leadership is defined not only by professional success but also by social responsibility. His philanthropic work reflects the idea that progress must include those often left behind. The recognition prompts us to reconsider our definition of success — should it stop at personal milestones, or must it extend to the lives we are able to change for the better?

Also Read: How The Abhay Bhutada Foundation Reflects SEBI’s 2021 ESG Principles

4. Resilience Inspires Transformation – Jaisingh Chavan

The story of Jaisingh Chavan, awarded in 2024, highlights resilience in action. He overcame personal disability and went on to generate employment for others. His achievement illustrates how true resilience is not just about overcoming hardship for oneself but about extending that strength outward to create change in the community.

By doing so, Chavan challenges conventional views of disability and redefines what empowerment looks like. His contribution reminds us that resilience should be viewed not as passive survival but as active transformation. It makes us ask: how can we create environments where resilience is not forced by circumstance but supported by society?

5. Influence Should Lead to Impact – Kartik Aaryan

In 2025, Kartik Aaryan was recognised for his performance in Chandu Champion and his rising influence in cinema. While acting accolades are common, this recognition highlights how influence today is tied to more than box office success. Aaryan’s popularity extends into public discourse, where his roles and persona affect how millions think and behave.

This also points to a larger truth: influence brings responsibility. With platforms like social media amplifying reach, actors and public figures are constantly shaping conversations. Aaryan’s recognition encourages us to reflect on whether those who hold influence are using it meaningfully. And more importantly, it asks us how we, in our smaller ways, are using our own influence — at home, at work, and in our communities.

Closing Thought

The Maharashtrian of the Year Awards present more than just achievements; they highlight values that resonate universally. Peyush Bansal reminds us about access through innovation, Varun Dhawan about the cultural weight of creativity, Abhay Bhutada about leadership as service, Jaisingh Chavan about resilience as transformation, and Kartik Aaryan about influence as responsibility.

Together, they show us that success is most meaningful when it creates an impact beyond oneself. The real question for us is — are we limiting our idea of success to personal victories, or are we also contributing to the larger good?