Each year, Singapore’s prominent publication Strait Times recognizes people driving their business with innovative technological interfaces. It has for the first time in years strayed from its usual tradition of crediting one individual for sweeping the continent with prominent changes.
This cluster of individuals has been collectively christened ‘The Disruptors’ and named as this year’s Straits Times ‘Asians of the Year.’ It includes most of the prominent founders including Nadiem Makarim of Go-Jek, Anthony Tan and Tan Hooi Ling of Grab, Tan Min-Liang of Razer, Pony Ma of Tencent and our homegrown e-commerce behemoth Flipkart’s founders Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal.
Commenting on this recognition, Flipkart founders Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal dispense a joint statement, saying,
We are truly humbled and honoured to be chosen for this award. It validates our commitment to creating a world-class internet company that is transforming the lives of Indians by making a better quality of life both accessible and affordable to them.
Flipkart’s innovative steps, aimed at transforming commerce in India through technology, have truly disrupted the market and it makes us proud to be recognized for this achievement. We accept this honor on behalf of all Indians.
According to the award citation, the cohort of chosen individuals have “made the inevitable march of technology easier to understand and accept by millions of people concerned about their old ways of life yielding to an unfamiliar new one.” Prior to the said disruptors, the award was given to India’s Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi in 2014 followed by Singapore’s founding father Mr. Lee Kuan Yew in 2015.
In addition, Flipkart though facing internal troubles and multiple valuation markdowns has been aggressively competing with its American rival Amazon. The co-founders (and the company) has also been awarded other accolades including their appearance on the list of 100 Most Influential People in the world and being selected as the ‘E-commerce company of the year’ in a nationwide consumer study.
