Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], August 22: The Retailers Association of India (RAI) successfully organised the 9th edition of the Chennai Retail Summit 2026 on 19^th August 2026, at the prestigious ITC Grand Chola Chennai. The summit brought together leading retailers, industry experts, and key decision-makers from across India’s retail ecosystem.

Centred around the theme The Changing World of Retail, the summit provided a dynamic platform for stakeholders to share perspectives, discuss emerging trends, identify new avenues for growth, and address the rapidly changing retail landscape. Against the backdrop of Chennai’s vibrant and expanding retail market, the summit highlighted the city’s increasing importance as a centre for retail innovation, investment, and collaboration.

Speaking about the summit, Kumar Rajagopalan, Executive Director and CEO, Retailers Association of India (RAI), said, “Tamil Nadu has been at the forefront of India’s retail evolution. The state had chain stores more than 70 years ago thanks to customer-focused business owners and the depth of its retail culture. The family businesses here have witnessed three to four generations transform the retail offerings and brand positioning to meet new consumer realities. A different pace and the precision required today to be salient to customers. An experience that is personalised enough for customers to feel seen and served. That combination — cultural depth and technological ambition — is what makes Tamil Nadu’s retail moment genuinely exciting.”

The summit featured an esteemed line-up of industry leaders, including Venkatesh Vijayaraghavan, MD & CEO of TTK Prestige Ltd.; Suhail Sattar, Director of Hasbro Clothing (Basics); Balachandar R., Director of Junior Kuppanna; and Balakrishnan GP, a member of the Leadership Team at Super Saravana Stores, amongst others.Their sessions offered practical perspectives on addressing current industry challenges, identifying emerging opportunities, and preparing businesses for the next phase of retail growth.

SUHAIL SATTAR, Director, Hasbro Clothing (Basics) | Chairman, RAI Chennai Chapter, said, “This market rewards honesty. If the product is good, price it right and make the store worth walking into — Chennai’s consumer will find you. What’s changed is the speed. The consumer moves faster now. She decides quicker, expects more, and has more options than ever before. The brands winning today are the ones keeping what made them trusted while moving fast enough to stay relevant.”

BALACHANDAR R., Director, Junior Kuppanna, highlighted, “Tamil Nadu’s consumer knows when you’re cutting corners. You can’t win them with packaging or marketing. They’ve grown up with good food, good service, and real value, and they expect all three, every single time. Our job is to make sure that every time someone walks in, they leave feeling it was worth it. That’s the only strategy that works here.”

C.K. KUMARAVEL, Co-Founder & CMD, Naturals Salon & Spa, expressed, “Tamil Nadu taught me that trust is everything. The consumer here is loyal, but she earns that loyalty from you — you don’t get it for free. Get the experience right, treat your people well, and she’ll come back. She’ll bring her daughter. She’ll recommend you to her neighbour. That word-of-mouth is more powerful than any campaign we’ve ever run.”

The India Retail Excellence Awards (IREA), an annual flagship event by the Retailers Association of India (RAI), serves as the grand finale of the Chennai Retail Summit. This coveted platform brings together industry leaders and visionaries to recognize and honour exceptional retail excellence.

The IREA 2026 celebrated exceptional achievements from both seasoned and emerging retail leaders spanning multiple sectors, including Apparel & Lifestyle, Beauty & Wellness, Home Decor & Home Improvement, Department Stores, Food & General Retail, Consumer Durables & IT (CDIT), Jewellery, Footwear, Mobile, Restaurants & QSR, and Specialty Retail.

A jury panel comprising experts from the industry thoroughly evaluated the entries that were shortlisted by a reputed audit agency to select the winners.

And the Winners of the India Retail Excellence Awards are:

The 2026 edition of the Chennai Retail Summit reaffirmed RAI’s commitment to strengthening India’s retail ecosystem by fostering meaningful dialogue, encouraging collaboration, and providing a platform for industry leaders to exchange ideas that will help shape the future of retail.

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In an era of rapid technological advancements and evolving workforce expectations, the summit spotlighted the trends and innovative HR solutions shaping the retail industry. Thought leaders and experts shared insights on fostering a culture of innovation, integrating emerging technologies into human resource management, and adapting to the changing dynamics of retail HR.

Speaking on the Retail HR Tech Summit 2025, Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO, Retailers Association of India (RAI), said, “Retail is at its core, a people business. While technology enhances efficiency, HR’s true role is to empower and engage a diverse workforce. The future isn’t about replacing jobs but evolving skills. By balancing tech with human insight, investing in people, and fostering adaptability, HR leaders can drive both employee satisfaction and business success.”

The highlight of the summit was the Keynote Address by Sunjoy Dhaawan, Vice President-HR, DHL Express India.

Emphasizing the critical role of people, growth, and digitalization in business success, Sunjoy Dhaawan said, “In order to become profitable and stay profitable, managing costs or reducing costs is one of the single most important thing in the minds of not only HR people but also business leaders. Improving supply chain resilience is the second. Becoming more environmentally sustainable is becoming a key priority already with 22% people ranking it amongst the top 3. And the fourth is growing market share. The HR ask is to get the HR equation right. I firmly believe that P is equal to GQ has to be the equation. What is P here? People. It’s the people who will deliver the growth and the quality for you. Technology will also help you to become a great, create the right kind of engagement, both mass as well as customized. But it is also important that you keep a balance of tech and touch. And therefore, in your HR equation, I have added another element- the D for digitalization is very critical for HR and the business to be able to be successful. And therefore P is equal to GQ plus the D.”

RAI Retail HR Tech Summit 2025 – Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO, RAI; Sunjoy Dhaawan, Vice President-HR, DHL Express India

The day-long summit featured a series of engaging panel discussions and roundtable sessions where HR leaders and industry experts explored the transformative role of technology in retail workforce management. Key discussions included ‘The Role of HR Tech in Enhancing Employee Experience,’ ‘Enhancing the Role of Technology in Learning and Engaging with the Next-Gen Retail Workforce,’ and ‘HR Metrics That Matter: Using Tech to Measure and Optimize Workforce Productivity.’ Additionally, a special session, ‘ZingHR.ai & Retail: The Power of One,’ provided insights into AI-driven HR solutions.

The summit also hosted dynamic roundtable discussions on ‘The Future of Work: Hybrid Models and Tech-Driven Collaboration in Retail,’ ‘HR Metrics That Matter,’ and ‘Fueling Retail’s Next Chapter with HR Tech,’ fostering knowledge exchange and strategic insights to drive the future of HR in retail.

Discussing the evolving role of HR in retail, Khushboo Moondra, Deputy Head – HR, Trent Ltd, said, “So, I think pre-COVID, if we look at retail, it was largely about hiring, recruitment, and matriculation, those were the two main metrics we focused on. It was about understanding employment trends, are people happy, are they not happy? But post-COVID, with the kind of rapid growth and transformation we’ve seen, the focus has shifted. Now, it’s not just about recruitment but quality recruitment, do we have the right skill sets? Instead of just tracking attrition, we are now looking at how to retain the right talent.”

Highlighting key enablers in modern retail, P. Senthilkumar, Sr. Partner, Vector Consulting Group, said, “The key enablers, of course, are time to service—6 to 10 minutes flat, irrespective of what you are going to order from the catalogue. And most importantly, the quantity that you are going to order. No more bulk buying. You can order whatever you want. And of course, the valued customers are the end generations. And they incentivize these guys with instant gratification.”

Highlighting the transformative impact of AI in HR, Haneesh Nambiar, Head – HR, Apollo Pharmacies Ltd, said, “AI has completely changed the way we approach talent management. Earlier, we just looked at recruitment sources and the number of hires. Now, it’s about optimizing costs, identifying talent, and assessing employees beyond just their performance. Does a person have the potential to take on more? Can they multitask and expand their capabilities to meet the future needs of the organization? Because at the pace we are growing, our HR approach has to evolve accordingly.”

Retail HR leaders speaking at the summit included, Akash Ashesh- Titan Company, Anjali Goel – V Mart Retail; Binny Ashish – Celio Retail; Deepali Mathur – Spykar Lifestyles; Haneesh Nambiar – Apollo Pharmacies; Hari Krishnan. N – Reliance Retail; Kavita Bagwe – BigBasket; Khushboo Moondra – Trent; Neeti Sharma – Adidas; Prasad Rajappan – ZingHR; Rachana Singh – Instituto Marangoni; Raghvendra D Singh – Reliance Retail; Ravi Shankar Singh – Lifestyle International; Sandhydeep Purri – Hardcastle Restaurants; Sandiep Batra – Adani Airport Holdings; Saurabh Deshpande; Shoppers Stop; Udhaya Shankar – Metro Brands; Yogesh Somani – Mr. DIY India; among others.

The Retail HR Tech Summit 2025 reinforced the growing importance of technology in shaping the future of workforce management in the retail sector. By fostering insightful discussions, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration among industry leaders, the summit served as a catalyst for innovation and strategic growth in HR. As retail businesses continue to evolve, the integration of HR technology will remain crucial in enhancing employee experience, driving efficiency, and building a future-ready workforce.

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The Retail Startup Awards honour entrepreneurial excellence in the retail sector, recognizing startups that have successfully translated bold ideas into impactful businesses. These startups are driving change by addressing industry challenges, enhancing customer experiences, and introducing transformative retail solutions.

Commenting on the Retail Startup Awards, Dr. Hitesh Bhatt, Director of Marketing and Communication at the Retailers Association of India (RAI), said, “The Retail Startup Awards continue to highlight the immense potential within India’s retail ecosystem. This year’s winners exemplify the spirit of innovation, offering transformative solutions that enhance customer experiences and drive industry growth. It is inspiring to see entrepreneurs from across the country pushing boundaries and shaping the future of retail.”

The Retail Leadership Summit 2025 set the stage for this prestigious recognition, reinforcing RAI’s dedication to promoting innovation and entrepreneurship within India’s retail sector.

A distinguished jury assessed the entries based on a set of rigorous criteria, narrowing them down to a final shortlist of 10 promising retail startups. The jury panel included Amit Sarda, Managing Director, Soulflower, and Suhail Sattar, Managing Director and CEO, Hashbro Clothing, who brought their industry expertise to identify the most impactful ventures.

The winners of the Retail Startup Awards 2025 are:

• Winner: Urban Tribe
• 1st Runner Up: Zouk
• 2nd Runner Up: Divine Foods

The final shortlisted retail startups, besides the winners, were V Cut, abCoffee, and Chatpata Affair.

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