Ramesh Narayan, one of India's most respected figures in the advertising and marketing community, has been selected as the winner in the Individual Leader category of the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA) Changemakers For Good Awards.

The selection was made by an elite Pan-Asian Jury, which included notable industry leaders such as Gary Chi (Dentsu Creative Taiwan), Kyungsin Kim (Korea), Aly Mustansir (Pakistan), and Sangeeta Pendurkar (CEO, Pantaloons at Aditya Birla Group). The prestigious award recognises MarCom professionals who have made a significant impact on societal welfare through their work.

The award is the culmination of a two-phase judging process where national winners compete on the Pan-Asian stage. Narayan will be formally felicitated at the AdAsia 25 conference in Beijing on October 25.

Legacy of Cause-Related Work

Narayan's selection acknowledges his long-standing commitment to marrying creative excellence with social responsibility. He is widely recognized as the originator of the acclaimed Olive Crown Awards and the IAA Leadership Awards.

Beyond industry honours, he has been a driving force behind numerous community and cause-related initiatives through the IAA India Chapter, addressing subjects including elder care, autism, natural calamities, and voter apathy.

His personal philanthropic endeavors include the establishment of two major Rotary programs: Bhavishya Yaan, a student enrichment program, and Ananda Yaan, an elderly daycare program. Narayan is also known for his active environmentalism, having personally planted over 3,500 trees, including a 900-tree Miyawaki Forest in Mumbai, and for his recent film promoting the adoption of street dogs.

Sometimes referred to as the most awarded person in the advertising industry, Narayan's previous honours include induction into the Hall of Fame at AFAA and the IAA India Chapter, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Advertising Agencies Association of India, and the Global Champion Award by the IAA.