Punit Goenka wins Entrepreneur of the Year award

Punit Goenka, CEO, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited, was awarded the Entrepreneur of the Year award by Enterprise Asia on Tuesday. The award was presented by Dr GV Krishnamurthy, former chief election commissioner.

The recipient for the APEA awards were selected from a pool of over 120 nominees across India and South Asia. The awards were organised by Enterprise Asia, Asia's leading non-governmental organisation for entrepreneurship.

The APEA (Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards 2014) is billed as the region's most prestigious awards for entrepreneurship and are now presented in 16 countries across Asia and the Pacific.

Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Punit Goenka said: "Awards like these are a motivating factor. Every award is important. It's nice to have been selected for this prestigious award from among such tough competition," said Punit Goenka.

Other winners include Shrinivas Dempo of Goa Carbon Ltd and Malvinder Mohan Singh of Fortis Healthcare Ltd (outstanding entrepreneurship), Ankur Warikoo of Groupon India Pvt Ltd and Gaurav Marya of Franchise India Holdings Ltd (most promising entrepreneurship).

Past winners include India's motorcycle mogul Brijmohan Lal Munjal, Malaysia's construction supremo Yeoh Tiong Lay, Sri Lanka's business legend WKH Wegapitiya, chairman Laugfs Holdings Ltd.