Hyderabad: Gaddam Vivek Venkat Swamy, Minister for Labour, Employment, Training & Factories, and Mines & Geology, Government of Telangana, on Thursday presented the 7th Edition of the FTCCI HR Awards organised by the Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI) at Red Hills, Hyderabad, where he attended as the Chief Guest.
Initiated by the HR Committee of FTCCI, the awards recognise individuals and organisations for professional excellence and outstanding contributions in the field of human resource management. As part of the initiative, best HR practices adopted by award-winning organisations were also shared to enable wider learning and adoption across industries.
Addressing the gathering, the Minister said that resistance is common whenever governments introduce new regulations or laws, but acceptance follows over time. Recalling his personal experiences, he spoke about his father, a former Union Labour Minister, who introduced a pension scheme for industrial workers despite strong resistance from industry.
He shared that while he was President of CII, he had led a delegation to represent industry concerns, but his father remained firm, demonstrating his deep commitment to labour welfare. He also recalled an incident from 1986 when his father inaugurated his factory and announced the formation of a labour union on the very first day, even in his own son’s enterprise.
The Minister emphasised that industrial growth is critical for any government as it generates employment and contributes to the state exchequer. He highlighted the vital role played by HR professionals in ensuring balanced growth and workforce well-being.
He urged the youth to take advantage of the Advanced Technology Centres (ATCs) being established by the Telangana Government, recalling that 115 such centres are coming up across the State to provide futuristic and industry-relevant training. These centres are unique and do not exist elsewhere in the country, he said, adding that they would open up significant employment opportunities for young people.
Later, the Minister presented awards to organisations and individuals across various categories. The award winners include Apitoria Pharma Private Limited (Large) and 3GHR Services (Intellica Logic Pvt. Ltd.) (SME) were recognised in the Talent Acquisition and Management category, while Coromandel International Limited (Large) and ECMAS Construction Chemical Private Limited (SME) received awards for excellence in Learning and Development. CriticalRiver Technologies Private Limited was honoured for excellence in the Performance Management Review Process category. Awards for Employee Engagement Strategy were presented to Signode India Limited (Large) and ECMAS Construction Chemical Private Limited (SME). Excellence in digital transformation of HR was recognised through the Best in HR Technology awards conferred on The Ramco Cements Limited (Large) and Srichakra Polyplast (India) Private Limited (SME). Individual excellence was also recognised, with Ms Vara Lakshmi Uddanda of Techwave Consulting India Private Limited being named Best HR Manager, Mr M. Ramakrishna Sai of The Ramco Cements Limited being awarded Best HR Head, and Mr J. Sai Prasad of Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology India Private Limited receiving the Jury Appreciation Award in Best HR Manager.
Before the awards ceremony, the HR Committee of FTCCI organised the 4th Edition of the HR Conclave with the theme “HR Catalyst 2025/26: Navigating the New Labour Codes”, aimed at equipping HR professionals, industry leaders and compliance experts with critical insights into India’s evolving labour law framework. The conclave served as an important platform for knowledge sharing, compliance readiness and dissemination of best practices in human resource management in the context of the new labour codes.
The conclave was inaugurated by Sri Y. Mohan Babu, Director of Factories, Government of Telangana, as Chief Guest, with Sri R. Chandrashekaram, Joint Commissioner of Labour, Government of Telangana, as Guest of Honour. Chandrashekaram said that while knowing the rules is important, understanding how to apply labour codes effectively matters the most. Mohan Babu described HR professionals as custodians of organisational culture, stating that when HR speaks, management listens, and that HR acts as a catalyst between employees, employers and various departments.
In his opening remarks, Ravi Kumar, President of FTCCI, said that India’s new labour codes are landmark reforms aimed at simplifying compliance, strengthening worker welfare and creating a balanced, future-ready framework that supports both economic growth and ease of doing business. Meela Sanjay, Chairman of the FTCCI HR Committee, added that the labour codes are crucial in modernising India’s employment ecosystem by ensuring compliance simplicity, workforce security and sustainable industrial growth.
The conclave featured expert sessions by Sri S. K. Gupta, Advocate, Supreme Court of India; Sri S. V. Ramachandra Rao, Managing Director, HR Chambers Outsourcing Pvt. Ltd.; and Sri C. Niranjan Rao, Advocate, High Court of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The discussions covered the Code on Wages, 2019; the Industrial Relations Code, 2020; the Code on Social Security, 2020; and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020. HR Heads and Managers, Industrial Relations professionals, legal and compliance experts, business leaders, CXOs, factory managers, admin heads, HR consultants and practitioners participated in the conclave. The HR Conclave concluded with the 7th Edition of the FTCCI HR Awards 2025, celebrating excellence, innovation and best practices in the HR domain.
