Indore: The much-anticipated India’s Regional PR Awards (IRPRA) – 40 Under 40 returned with its fourth edition, drawing widespread attention as the virtual ceremony concluded successfully on Saturday. The platform recognised outstanding public relations professionals from across the country who, under the age of 40, have made a strong mark in the PR industry through impactful work, strategic thinking, and innovative communication.
The prestigious initiative aims to identify and celebrate emerging PR talent from regional India while providing them with national visibility. Winners were selected by a distinguished jury comprising senior industry leaders and communication experts.
The event opened with a compelling panel discussion on the theme “Regional Markets as Growth Engines: Why Brands Are Shifting PR Budgets Beyond Metro Cities.” The discussion highlighted how Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities are rapidly emerging as new centres of brand growth, prompting organisations to increasingly rely on local insights, regional strategies, and strong PR networks beyond metropolitan markets.
This year, the IRPRA 40 Under 40 Awards were presented across five major categories, recognising excellence in brand building, rural outreach, creative campaigns, healthcare communication, and startup PR. Along with 20 individual PR professionals, 20 PR agencies were also acknowledged for their notable contributions to regional public relations.
Speaking on the occasion, Pawan Tripathi, Founder and Organiser of IRPRA, said, “The core objective of IRPRA has always been to recognise talented PR professionals working in regional India. The diversity of participation from across the country in this edition clearly shows that strong and influential communication leadership is no longer limited to metro cities. Congratulations to all the winners.”
Under the Best Emerging PR Strategist category, professionals recognised for their strategic thinking and planning included Nikhil Swami (Punjab), Prashant Bakshi (Gujarat), Honey K. Bhargava (Haryana), Rajesh Hingu (Gujarat), Swati Chakravarty (West Bengal), and Shraddha Bhattacharya (Mumbai, Maharashtra).
The Best Rural Area PR Campaign category honoured Hamad Mohammad Atiq Rahman Berlashkar (Assam) and Surbhi Chaurasia (Madhya Pradesh) for impactful communication initiatives and community engagement in rural regions.
For excellence in entertainment communication, the Best Creative Entertainment Campaign awards were presented to Mansi Rathi (Delhi), Dhanashree Sharma (Delhi), Rikty Shah Panchal (Gujarat), Amey Ambarkar (Maharashtra), and Bijyeta Tripathi (Odisha) for their innovative and creative PR campaigns.
In the Best Healthcare Communication Campaign category, Ravinder Bharti (Maharashtra), Anubhuti Srivastava, Ojasvi Sharma (Chandigarh), and Gurpreet Nongkinrih (Assam) were recognised for building awareness, trust, and effective communication in the healthcare sector.
The Best PR Campaign for Startups category honoured Shevani Thakur Gupta (Jammu & Kashmir), Madhupriya Sengupta (West Bengal), and Pabita Mishra (Odisha) for successfully executing impactful PR strategies for emerging startup brands.
Over the years, the IRPRA 40 Under 40 platform has emerged as a benchmark of excellence in regional public relations, spotlighting professionals who are reshaping India’s communication landscape through innovation, local insight, and purpose-driven storytelling.
