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Dr Payal Kanodia presented the Couture Style Icons Award at HT Most Stylish
She joined Sonalika Sahay to present the Hindustan Times Most Stylish Couture Style Icons Award to Falguni and Shane Peacock at the HT Most Stylish Awards 2026
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Leadership is less about titles and more about what happens after holding one. A social-impact leader, philanthropit, sportsperson and institution-builder, Dr Payal has built her work around a simple but powerful idea: meaningful change begins when opportunity becomes accessible to everyone.
Chairperson, Paralympic Committee of India; Chairperson & Trustee, M3M Foundation; Promoter, M3M Group, Dr Payal is a social-impact leader, philanthropist, sportsperson and institution-builder whose work is rooted in a simple belief: empowerment becomes meaningful when it creates dignity, opportunity and visibility.
Through M3M Foundation, she has championed initiatives across education, healthcare, livelihoods, women’s empowerment, sports, environment and community development. Her vision of empowerment extends equally to the custodians of India’s cultural heritage — its artisans, weavers and craftspeople, whose skills and traditions have travelled across generations.
That belief found expression in “Ada-E-Hind”, under the theme “Threads of India: Woven Stories, Shared Soul.” The showcase brought India’s extraordinary craft traditions into contemporary fashion while placing the artisans behind them at the centre of the story. Four young creators from the Foundation’s iMpower Academy for Skills travelled across the country, learning directly from craftspeople and transforming their knowledge into a celebration of India’s living heritage. Taking this vision forward, M3M Foundation is now set to present a larger showcase of the Ada-E-Hind collection, bringing its stories, craftsmanship and creative journey to a wider audience.
For Dr Payal, however, this celebration does not end on the runway. She chooses to wear the heritage she seeks to preserve. By embracing Indian handlooms, traditional textiles and indigenous craftsmanship at prominent platforms such as the HT Most Stylish Awards, she turns personal style into a statement of purpose — giving visibility to the artisans and weavers whose hands keep these traditions alive.
Her presence in these creations carries a larger message: Indian heritage is not a relic of the past; it is a living identity, a livelihood and a story worthy of the world’s spotlight. Through her leadership, Dr Payal continues to create spaces where social impact, culture and contemporary India come together — ensuring that the hands that weave India’s heritage are seen, valued and remembered.
