Faces That Defined 2025: ’Young, Fearless, Unstoppable

Gukesh Dommaraju: The youngest world champion

Gukesh Dommaraju scripted history by defeating Ding Liren to become the youngest World Chess Champion ever. Fearless, composed and relentlessly precise, the teenage grandmaster announced a generational shift in elite chess. His triumph placed India at the very summit of the sport and confirmed Gukesh as the defining chess figure of 2025.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi: The prodigy who broke the internet

At just 14, Vaibhav Suryavanshi became India’s most searched sporting name of 2025. From becoming the youngest IPL signee to delivering astonishing domestic performances, his explosive power and composure stunned fans and scouts alike. More than a viral sensation, he redefined what prodigy status looks like in modern Indian cricket.

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty: Badminton’s most dominant partnership

Satwik and Chirag ruled men’s doubles with blistering speed, tactical maturity and a formidable winning streak. Their dominance cemented India’s authority in global badminton and brought unprecedented attention to doubles specialists. Explosive yet disciplined, they inspired a new generation to view doubles as a premier, high-stakes discipline.

Smriti Mandhana: The game’s most important face

Smriti Mandhana defined women’s cricket in 2025 through record-breaking WPL performances and unmatched international consistency. Blending elegance with aggression, she became the sport’s most recognisable global face. Her leadership, commercial pull and on-field dominance accelerated audience growth, sponsorship confidence and media attention — firmly positioning women’s cricket at the centre of India’s sporting future.

Harmanpreet Kaur: Leadership that delivered history

As captain of India’s Women’s World Cup–winning side, Harmanpreet Kaur delivered a defining leadership moment. Calm under pressure and ruthless in decisive phases, she steered the team through its most challenging encounters. The triumph reshaped global perceptions of Indian women’s cricket, cementing her legacy not just as a power-hitter, but as one of the game’s most influential leaders.

Environment & Science

Dev Karan: The teenage water warrior

Dev Karan emerged as one of the world’s most impactful young environmental voices after being named among the five global winners of the UN-backed Young Activists Summit prize. His grassroots work restoring India’s traditional ponds spotlighted community-led conservation, water sustainability and the power of youth-led climate action rooted in indigenous knowledge.

Shubhanshu Shukla: India’s leap into human spaceflight

Shubhanshu Shukla made history as India’s first astronaut selected for an International Space Station mission. His selection marked a decisive moment in the country’s human spaceflight ambitions. Recognised as a Science Icon of the Year, he became the defining face of India’s growing presence in global space science and international collaboration.

G Madhavi Latha: Engineering excellence with impact

G Madhavi Latha emerged as a Science Icon of the Year for her pioneering contributions to geotechnical engineering. Her work — blending academic rigour with real-world infrastructure impact — gained national prominence in 2025. She stood as a powerful symbol of Indian women shaping critical engineering, scientific thought leadership and nation-building at scale.

Payal Kapadia: The defining artistic voice of the year

In 2025, Payal Kapadia moved from critical acclaim to cultural phenomenon. All We Imagine as Light dominated global festivals, university syllabi and critical discourse, proving that quiet, political Indian independent cinema could command mainstream international attention. Her lyrical, feminist storytelling reframed how India is seen on the global arthouse circuit, making her the year’s most influential artistic voice.

Fashion & Visual Culture

Bhavitha Mandava: Fashion’s most unlikely global breakout

From a chance New York subway moment to opening Chanel’s Métiers d’Art 2026 show, Bhavitha Mandava’s rise became one of fashion’s most joyful viral stories. Her journey — amplified by collective online celebration — captured the industry’s hunger for authenticity, spontaneity and new faces from unexpected places.

Aditya Chintapalli: Carrying heritage onto the runway

Aditya Chintapalli’s New York Fashion Week debut became a cultural moment when his Hanuman pendant — gifted by his grandmother — drew global attention. The Hyderabad-born model seamlessly blended heritage with high fashion, signalling a confident international breakout and a broader shift towards personal storytelling on global runways.