CNN-News18 is presenting the 12th edition of its flagship awards programme, 'Indian of the Year', today. Through this programme, CNN-News18 will recognise and award the achievements in the sports, entertainment, politics, startups, social change and climate change categories.

The event showcases the ultimate recognition of India's finest talent and celebrates outstanding Indians who have shone in their respective fields in the last year.

Climate Warrior is a new category that has been added this year, to be awarded to individuals who are working on impactful and sustainable change.

Here are the highlights from the CNN-News18 Indian of the Year 2022 event:

#The event concludes with all the winners coming up on stage

#Ranveer Singh and Neeraj Chopra dance on stage

# Marquee award for CNN-News18 Indian of the Year 2022 goes to Neeraj Chopra

#Actor Ranveer Singh wins Indian of the Year 2022 'outstanding achievement' award for his performance in the movie 83

#Sridhar Vembu and Tony Thomas of Zoho wins Indian of the Year 2022 startups

Zoho, founded by Sridhar Vembu and Tony Thomas, is bootstrapped, profitable, and offers complete business operating solutions. A firm believer in rural empowerment, Vembu relocated to Tenkasi in Tamil Nadu, where he is actively involved in setting up schools and other societal initiatives.

"To me business is a journey of conviction. You have to develop it, build it slowly. There is so much talent in India we should be the most advanced nation in the world. When you find conviction, persist with it," said Sridhar Vembu.

#Union minister Piyush Goyal will announce the Indian of the Year 2022 'startups' category.

# Next up, is the 'startups' category. The nominees are Falguni Nayar (Nykaa), Alakh Pandey and Prateek Maheshwari (PhysicsWallah), Sriharsha Majety (Swiggy), Kamath Brothers (Zerodha), Sridhar Vembu and Tony Thomas (Zoho).

#UP CM Yogi Adityanath wins Indian of the Year 2022 in the 'politics' category

#Sania Mirza wins Indian of the Year outstanding achievement award.

# Neeraj Chopra is the Indian of the Year 2022 award in the 'sports' category. Chopra made history as the first track-and-field athlete from India — and the second in the country's history — to win an Olympic gold medal at the 2020 edition of the Summer Games held in Tokyo last year. Chopra then added more lustre to his growing legend by becoming first Indian ever to win a silver at the World Championships held in July this year.

#Next up is the sports category. The nominees are Achanta Sharath Kamal, Lakshya Sen, Neeraj Chopra, Nikhat Zareen and R Praggnanandhaa.

#Kulsum Shadam & Hothur Foundation win Indian of the Year 2022 in the 'special mention' category for the help extended to acid attack survivors.

#Sonu Sood wins Indian of the Year 2022 'special achievement' award

CNN-News18 Indian of the Year 2022 'special achievement' award goes to actor Sonu Sood, who has been helping people in the need in the last few years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"My mother used to say, 'tu muthi khol ke dekh, shayad tere haatho ke lakeero pe kisi ki jaan bachane ka mauka hai" (maybe the lines on your palm will guide you to save a life). I feel I am playing the most important role of my life now, where the almighty is the director. I wish and pray this movie doesn't end,' says actor Sonu Sood.

# Dr Shankare Gowda is the Indian of the Year 2022 in the 'social change'

Dr Shankare Gowda is the Indian of the Year 2022 in the 'social change' category. Known as the '5 rupees doctor', Dr Gowda is a skin specialist from Mandya in Karnataka, who charges his patients just 5 rupees. He always prescribes affordable medicines, and has had an almost hundred percent success rate. His selfless service attracts scores of patients from far-flung areas of Karnataka.

# Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari is on stage to announce the Indian of the Year 2022 in the 'social change' category.

#Next up, is the 'social change' category. The nominees are Asha Workers, Dr Shankare Gowda, Hemkunt Foundation, Raju Kendre, Tajamul Islam.

#"Each of us have our own regional language. All of us are stepping in the pan-India zone where language is not a barrier. We grew up watching north movies, admiring Hindi and Bengali cinema, now people are also watching south cinema," says Allu Arjun.

#Allu Arjun says this is the first award he has won in the north India. "We need to celebrate the diversity of Indian cinema,” says Union minister Smriti Irani. Arjun says that when Pushpa: The Rise was made, it was celebrated by all of India.

# Allu Arjun wins Indian of the Year 2022 in 'entertainment' category

Allu Arjun is the Indian of the Year 2022 in the 'entertainment' category. Arjun is a superstar in the Telugu states and achieved national recognition with his 2021 film, Pushpa: The Rise. Arjun's success comes at a time South Indian cinema is gaining popularity nationwide, and the 40-year-old actor — nephew of 'Megastar' Chiranjeevi — is the second nominee this year from South India. Pushpa: The Rise played a large role in bringing audiences back to theatres in 2021, and amassed over Rs 350 crore worldwide.

#Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani is on stage to present the Indian of the Year award in the entertainment category

#Next up, is the entertainment category. The nominees are Alia Bhatt, Allu Arjun, Kartik Aaryan, Team RRR and Vivek Agnihotri.

# Tree Man of Tamil Nadu Marimuthu Yoganathan is the Indian of the Year 2022 in the 'Climate Warrior' category

Marimuthu Yoganathan is the Indian of the Year 2022 in the 'Climate Warrior' category. He said he has planted three-and-a-half lakh saplings in the last 37 years at his own expense in Tamil Nadu. Yoganathan, a bus conductor by profession, is popularly known as the 'Tree Man of Tamil Nadu'. He distributes the saplings for free to passengers travelling in his bus. He has also visited countless schools, colleges and industries to raise awareness about protecting the environment.

#Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for Jal Shakti is on stage to announce the Indian of the Year 2022 in the Climate Warrior category

#The first category for the evening is Climate Warrior. The nominees are — Jadav Payeng, Jamuna Tudu, Marimuthu Yoganathan, Prasiddhi Singh, Sumaira Abdulali.

#A look at CNN-News18 Indian of the Year 2022 awards - The first awards event was held in 2005, the year the channel had started. This year, the business category has been changed to 'Startups' because "India is the land of startups," said Zakka Jacob, Managing Editor, CNN-News18.

# "After what we have endured in 2020 and 2021, I am touched that so many people are able to attend this event today," says Zakka Jacob, Managing Editor, CNN-News18

#Pradeep Agarwal and Lalit Kumar Agarwal present a memento to Mame Khan

# Folk singer Mame Khan ends his performance for the evening with the song 'Jhulelal'

We are LIVE!

25 Indians, one coveted title. Who will be #IndianOfTheYear 2022? WATCH NOW: https://t.co/C53ojTgCtA pic.twitter.com/hxu3LPgCOq— News18 (@CNNnews18) October 12, 2022

# Rajasthan's folk maestro Mame Khan begins his performance at the CNN-News18 Indian of the Year 2022 awards

#“Climate warriors, social changemakers got the most votes,” says Zakka Jacob, Managing Editor, CNN-News18

# The winners have been selected after a public voting round which ended on October 2, following which the jury round was conducted which held Network18 editors

We are LIVE!

25 Indians, one coveted title. Who will be #IndianOfTheYear 2022? WATCH NOW: https://t.co/C53ojTgCtA pic.twitter.com/hxu3LPgCOq— News18 (@CNNnews18) October 12, 2022

# The Indian of the Year 2022 event begins

# The red carpet is rolled out for the guests at the Indian of the Year 2022 event

Red carpet is rolled out for our guests at #IndianOfTheYear 2022! Don't miss the grand finale, 6 pm onwards