Tarang Arora
CEO & Creative Director, Amrapali Jewels
Known for its 'intrinsically Indian' design ethos, Amrapali Jewels personifies luxury and quality.
"A Made in India tag stands for that which represents our culture -- anything that helps preserve local techniques.
"In fact, our jewellery is and has always been deeply rooted in rich Indian traditions. Who better than artisans -- who know indigenous arts like the back of their hand -- to revive age-old techniques?
"When I employ locals, I am supporting a family. We're giving them opportunities to earn a respectable living and simultaneously prevent Indian arts and techniques from meeting a premature end.
"While Make in India is gaining popularity now, it has always been our agenda -- our factories are in India, we employ local artisans and our designs are India-inspired. But we've only nicked the tip of the iceberg.
"Our country offers endless inspiration; with India's increasing economic power and active encouragement of this movement, this is just the beginning."
Dhiraj Rajaram
Founder and CEO, Mu Sigma
Mu Sigma is a decision sciences and analytics firm that helps companies harness big data. Dhiraj Rajaram calls it a Made in India company. "The question is not whether you can make in India, but whether you can afford not to," he says.
"We live in an era where every machine can have an IP address. Manufacturing is meeting the Internet of Things, where cheap sensors can monitor shop floors, machines, the manufacturing process and entire supply chain.
"The huge streams of data from these machines can be used to generate both offline and real-time decision support to improve efficiency, yields and safety in the manufacturing environment.
"The Make in India programme is the right jolt needed to change the perception that India is a submissive nation.
"India has talent. Our best asset is our people, who have the strong English, engineering, maths and other skills needed for the knowledge industry.
"We also have a growing domestic demand for goods in the consumer and enterprise markets. The government's development agenda drives the demand for manufacturing in infrastructure and defence. It just makes sense for us to make more things here."
Priya Paul
Chairperson, The Park Hotels
The hospitality industry famously lacks women in leadership roles. Yet, every major industry gathering is brightened by the energy of Priya Paul.
Her passion for art has evolved into an ability to curate; her design-focused hotels are hubs for contemporary Indian design, style and music.
Take The Park Hyderabad, which boasts composite aluminium façade inspired by the city's history as a centre for jewellery and metalwork. The interiors showcase some of India's top fashion designers (Tarun Tahiliani, Jean Francois Lesage) and artists (Sudharshan Shetty, Navin Thomas, Venkat Bothsa).
"Creativity is in our DNA. What I've always loved about the Made in India label is the story of our amazing craft traditions. It's exciting that now people are investing in product design and development and becoming competitive in price and quality.
"In Hyderabad, we made a conscious effort to seek out and showcase great Made-in-India stories -- from the Klove studio's Polki chandelier in the lobby (instead of predictable European brand glass) to the kalamkari textile installation, by designer Preksha Baid and by traditional craftsman Niranjan Jonnalagadda, all influenced by the Nizam's jewels.
"In hospitality, India has always matched international service standards. What's needed now is to streamline the process for permissions and licences. We believe in innovation, in finding a different and better way of doing things."
Kavita Mukhi
Founder, Farmers' Market
"Years ago, I studied nutrition in Florida and would have had a much better life there as a single parent, but I really wanted to return to my roots and do something in India," says Mukhi.
So she set up The Health Shop in 1990, later packaged and sold grain and organic produce through Conscious Food.
Next, she started the Farmers' Market in Mumbai -- a haven for people seeking fresh produce.
"Made in India products are what I look for most," she admits. "I'm decidedly anti-foreign goods because I look at them as being ecologically unsound. We have so many seeds and millets in India, why are we only talking about chia and quinoa?
"People complain about the cost of organic local produce but will spend five-figures on a pair of Italian shoes. Across the world, people are looking to India for wisdom and knowledge.
"We should too, or we stand to lose all our stored genetic wisdom and agricultural heritage in one generation.
"The future of Make in India is fantastic; our indigenous herbs and vegetables are increasingly proving to be beneficial.
My kitchen is devoid of exotic produce, yet the outcome of my recipes is exotic."
Virender Gupta
CEO and Founder, DailyHunt
Ver Se' Innovation publishes the DailyHunt in 12 languages -- the app, used by over 90 million subscribers is possibly the largest news product in India.
Gupta -- who has been in the mobile value-added services industry for over two decades -- acquired the app in 2012 and grew the user base by 20 times to become one of the largest apps in the country.
"In our experience in the software industry, companies outside India prefer to work with those in Israel or the US.
"We have a great software workforce and Make in India should enable us to brand aggressively and give our products preferred status.
"If successful, Indian brands will have equal footing while negotiating with companies outside the country.
"Indians should also use local products increasingly, forcing manufacturers to step up in terms of quality."
Sidhhartha Lal
MD and CEO, Eicher Motors
Siddhartha Lal's journey -- from being the 26-year-old CEO of ailing motorcycle brand Royal Enfield to turning the company's fortunes around and making it one of the most recognisable Indian brands in the world today -- has been filled with tough decisions and pure passion.
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