The 23rd CONSTRUCTION WORLD Global Awards (CWGA) 2025, held on September 3 at Jio Convention Centre, Mumbai, stood as a grand celebration of innovation, leadership and resilience in India’s construction and infrastructure sector. Part of the India Construction Festival (ICF) 2025, the evening brought together the nation’s most influential builders, policymakers and visionaries, reaffirming the industry’s role in shaping India’s growth story.HighlightsThe event commenced with a ceremonial lamp lighting by Bryan Gottlieb, Online Editor, ENR; Pratap Padode, Founder and Falguni Padode, Co-Founder, ASAPP INFO Global Group; Chandravasi Reddy, CEO & Co-Founder, Inncircles; and Ratnesh Sinha, General Manager, BKT Tires.Unveiling the robust research process that drives the awards, Pratap Padode emphasised: “Our research relies upon six years of audited performance of construction companies where we weigh growth over this period and give greater weightage to the recent year’s performance. We weigh PAT and operating revenue equally as we think both revenue and profits are to be considered equally when recognising growth. These results are then put before a jury, which has the power to pull ranks under consideration of governance and ethics.”He urged the industry to aspire higher: “Let’s move beyond being contractors. Let us be creators – of unique skillsets, proprietary technologies and niche capabilities. Whether it’s deep tunnelling, offshore marine infrastructure or sustainable high-rises, we must become unbeatable in some domains.”Concluding with a call to action, Padode reminded the audience: “The future belongs to those who build it. Let us ensure that what we build today will not only strengthen India but restore it to its rightful place as a global leader. The world will value us not for what we demand, but for what we demonstrate. Let us demonstrate excellence, audacity and a bold intent to build – not just for India, but for the world.”The concurrent RAHSTA Expo added to the momentum, showcasing cutting-edge innovations across roads and highways with over 100 exhibitors presenting solutions ranging from construction equipment to geospatial technologies.Thought-leadership and insightsThe India Construction Festival enriched the awards with parallel discussions and knowledge-sharing. The Japan-India Road Engineering Seminar featured Praveensingh Pardeshi, Chief Economic Advisor to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and CEO, MITRA, who spoke on future-ready policies and global collaboration.A fireside conversation between Padode and Ashwini Bhide was a key highlight. Announcing a major milestone, Bhide said: “Mumbai Metro Line 3 is soon to start.” This echoed the sentiments of Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, IAS, Commissioner, MMRDA, who in his keynote address emphasised that Mumbai’s transformation was about more than megaprojects; it was about sustainable, timely delivery.Mukherjee highlighted the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), completed nine months ahead of schedule (excluding the COVID period). “The project, once debated, has today enriched the environment: flamingo numbers have risen, aquatic life is thriving, and JICA now showcases it globally as a model of India-Japan cooperation,” he said.Bhide further outlined Mumbai’s ambitious trajectory: “Over the next five years, Mumbai is set to undergo a billion-dollar transformation. We have already prepared a Growth Hub Plan for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, with the ambitious target of achieving a $500-billion economy. To reach this milestone, key projects have been identified, along with the policy changes required to support them. At the heart of this transformation lies infrastructure.”Honouring leadershipThe evening’s most anticipated honours included the CONSTRUCTION WORLD Person of the Year awards: Ashwini Bhide in the Public Sector category and Jayanta Basu, MD, ITD Cementation India, in the Private Sector. The Lifetime Achievement Award was conferred upon K Subramanian, Executive Chairman, Afcons Infrastructure, for his enduring contribution to India’s infrastructure landscape.Adding to the celebrations was the launch of the 29th CONSTRUCTION WORLD Annual Edition, featuring insights from 25 authors on how technology is transforming industries.Celebrating India’s buildersLarsen & Toubro once again emerged as the Largest & Most Profitable Company, while NCC, Kalpataru Projects International, and Afcons Infrastructure led the ultra large segment. ITD Cementation India, HG Infra, and Dineshchandra R Agrawal Infracon topped the large category; Ceigall and Varindera Constructions excelled in the medium category, and Vascon Engineers and Ramky Infrastructure were winners in the small category. The larger festival As part of ICF, the awards were interwoven with the 15th RAHSTA Expo & Conference and the 2nd National Summit on CIRP in Infrastructure and the Real-Estate Business. With over 150 exhibitors and 10,000 visitors, the festival offered a 360° view of India’s construction ecosystem, from financing models and digital technologies to insolvency frameworks and road-building strategies.In essence, CWGA 2025 was more than an awards night; it was a platform for inspiration, collaboration and charting the roadmap for India’s infrastructure future. 23rd Construction World Global Awards 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award Krishnamurthy Subramanian, Executive Chairman, Afcons Infrastructure Person of the Year Public Sector - Ashwini Bhide, IAS, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and MD, Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Private Sector – Jayanta Basu, MD, ITD Cementation India ENR Awards: Recognising Top International Design Firms and Top International Contractors Verdantas Dorsch Consult India SJ Group Nippon Koei India Shapoorji Pallonji And Company Ircon International IPS – Integrated Project Services Heavy Engineering Industries & Shipbuilding Co. K.S.C. (Public), Kuwait Archetype India Italferr S.p.A. Egis Group Nominated Awards CSR Company of the Year - Hitech Projects & Phenix Construction Technologies (A Division of M&B Engineering) Emerging Company of the Year: Rahee Infratech Product Innovation of the Year: Cube Highways and Transport Assets Advisors Project of the Year – Airports: L&T Transportation Infrastructure IC Project of the Year – Real Estate: Sobha Project of the Year – Roads: Bharat Vanijya Eastern Project of the Year – Warehousing and Logistics: KEC International Project of the Year – Metro Rail: Tata BlueScope Steel Integrated Solution Provider: GMMCO Wealth Creator Awards SPML Infra Welspun Enterprises ITD Cementation India GPT Infraprojects Ashoka Buildcon Capacit’e Infraprojects Dilip Buildcon Kalpataru Projects International PSP Projects Fastest growing Construction Companies Largest and Most Profitable Company Larsen & Toubro Ultra Large Category NCC Kalpataru Projects International Afcons Infrastructure Large Category ITD Cementation India HG Infra Dineshchandra R Agrawal Infracon Medium Category Ceigall Varindera Constructions Patel Engineering and J. Kumar Infraprojects Small Category Vascon Engineers Ramky Infrastructure RPP Infra Projects & GPT Infraprojects