Awards

1. CISO of the Year

Honouring a visionary leader who has elevated cybersecurity from a compliance function to a strategic business enabler, demonstrating measurable impact across resilience, innovation, and trust.

2. Cybersecurity Woman Leader of the Year

Celebrating a woman professional who has broken barriers and inspired transformation in cybersecurity leadership, innovation, or advocacy.

3. Cyber Strategist of the Year

For an individual who has combined foresight, strategy, and innovation to reshape their organization’s or industry’s cyber defence architecture.

4. Threat Hunter of the Year

Recognizing an individual who has demonstrated exceptional skill in identifying, analysing, and neutralizing emerging threats across complex environments.

5. Data Protection Officer (DPO) of the Year

Acknowledging excellence in implementing data protection frameworks, privacy-by-design principles, and ensuring compliance with India’s DPDPA and global standards.

6. Security Innovator of the Year

Celebrating a professional who has developed or implemented groundbreaking cybersecurity tools, methods, or solutions that have redefined protection paradigms.

7. Cyber Awareness Champion

Recognizing an individual who has significantly advanced cyber hygiene and awareness within their organization or community through impactful education and advocacy.

8. Rising Star in Cybersecurity

For emerging professionals (under 35) who have made a remarkable impact early in their careers, showcasing exceptional skill, vision, and leadership potential.

9. Public Sector Cybersecurity Leader of the Year

Honouring a visionary leader driving robust cybersecurity initiatives and digital trust across the public sector. This award celebrates individuals who have fortified governance ecosystems, elevated data protection frameworks, and set national benchmarks for resilience in government operations.

10. BFSI Cybersecurity Leader of the Year

Recognizing the CISO or security leader who has demonstrated exceptional foresight in safeguarding critical financial data, enabling secure digital banking transformation, and ensuring trust at scale across the BFSI landscape.

11. Manufacturing & OT Security Leader of the Year

Celebrating the individual who has championed the protection of connected factories and operational technologies. This category honours those redefining OT-IT convergence, resilience, and industrial cybersecurity across the manufacturing ecosystem.

12. Healthcare Cybersecurity Leader of the Year

Acknowledging a security leader who has led the charge in protecting sensitive health data and ensuring digital safety in patient care systems. This award recognizes innovation, compliance, and trust-building within healthcare’s digital evolution.

13. Energy & Utilities Security Leader of the Year

Recognizing a cybersecurity professional who has safeguarded critical infrastructure in energy, oil & gas, and utilities — ensuring uninterrupted operations and national resilience through robust cyber defence strategies.

14. Retail & eCommerce Security Leader of the Year

Honouring a digital security leader who has strengthened consumer trust, secured digital payment ecosystems, and mitigated large-scale cyber threats across retail and e-commerce enterprises.

1. Cyber Resilience Pioneer of the Year

Honouring enterprises that have demonstrated exemplary cyber resilience through robust strategy, rapid incident recovery, and business continuity in the face of evolving digital threats.

2. AI-Powered Security Transformation Award

Recognizing organizations that have successfully integrated artificial intelligence and automation to revolutionize their security posture, threat detection, and response efficiency.

3. Zero Trust Champion Award

Celebrating enterprises that have adopted and scaled Zero Trust frameworks to protect identities, applications, and data across complex hybrid environments.

4. Data Protection & Privacy Excellence Award

Acknowledging organizations that have demonstrated leadership in data governance, privacy management, and compliance—especially under frameworks like India’s DPDPA.

5. Cloud Security Pioneer Award

For organizations that have redefined secure cloud adoption through innovative architectures, controls, and continuous monitoring of hybrid or multi-cloud ecosystems.

6. Incident Response Team of the Year

Recognizing the SOC/Blue Team that has exemplified preparedness, collaboration, and rapid mitigation against advanced cyberattacks or breaches.

7. OT & Critical Infrastructure Security Excellence Award

Honouring organizations that have secured operational technologies and industrial control systems (ICS), protecting physical and digital assets with precision and innovation.

8. Cybersecurity Innovation of the Year

Celebrating enterprises that have launched breakthrough products, platforms, or frameworks driving the future of cybersecurity.

9. Digital Trust & Ethics Leadership Award

Acknowledging organizations that go beyond compliance—embedding transparency, ethical AI, and trust frameworks into the fabric of their cybersecurity strategy.

10. Secure-by-Design Enterprise Award

Recognizing businesses that have successfully embedded cybersecurity principles across product design, software development, and supply chain ecosystems.

The ET Edge Digital Defenders & Trust Awards recognize Campaigns/Work/Decisions taken in the time duration of 1^st April 2024 to 31^st July 2025.

The ET Edge Digital Defenders & Trust Awards have no nomination fee. The Award Submission process is free of cost.

The last date to submit nominations for the ET Edge Digital Defenders & Trust Awards is 20th November 2025.

There is no limit for an entrant on the maximum number of categories. A key consideration is the originality and differentiation of each submission. For each entry, the entrant is required to share different initiatives/projects and the resultant outcomes.

Visit our website & click on “Nominate Now” to register and begin your nomination using the online form. You can submit entries across multiple categories. Please ensure you adhere to the word limits specified for each section.

All entries will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. No information will be disclosed to anyone other than the Grand Jury Panel for evaluation.

The ET Edge Digital Defenders & Trust Awards are open to a wide range of participants who have demonstrated impactful work in the field of Data Security & Risk Management Initiatives. Startups, SMEs, large enterprises, Solution Providers, public sector institutions, Academic & Research Institutions, Security Experts operating in India that have implemented cybersecurity, resilience, recovery, and data protection solutions.

All nominations will undergo screening based on eligibility criteria, including elements such as Innovation, Vision, Execution, Impact and Results. A Panel of expert and impartial jury members will conduct the screening process. These criteria are essential for evaluating nominations across each category, enabling the jury to make informed assessments. Nominees will be informed and may be requested to provide additional information if necessary. The evaluation will prioritize measurable data to ensure fairness and objectivity. Nominations that do not meet eligibility criteria will be disqualified.

The ET Edge Digital Defenders & Trust Awards aims to recognize organizations and Individuals that have demonstrated outstanding innovation and transformation through technologies in the Cybersecurity, Data Security & Risk Management Domain. This platform offers businesses a chance to spotlight their accomplishments in the Security Landscape, gaining recognition for their valuable contributions to the industry.

Winners will be revealed during a formal ceremony, where they will be presented with trophies commemorating their exceptional performance within their respective categories. The announcement of the winners will also be shared on social media platforms to showcase and promote the recognized businesses.