Nidhi Pant Wins 17th Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award
Her award points to the growing role of women-led businesses in rural food processing.
Nidhi Pant, co-founder of Science For Society Techno Services Pvt. Ltd. (S4S Technologies), has been named the winner of the 17th Social Entrepreneur of the Year (SEOY) Award India 2026.
The award was presented in New Delhi by the Jubilant Bhartia Foundation (JBF) and the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, which works in partnership with the World Economic Forum. Former Rajya Sabha member and former chairman of the 15th Finance Commission, N K Singh, attended the ceremony as chief guest.
Pant was recognised for her work using biotechnology and farm-level food processing to turn agricultural waste into useful products and reduce losses faced by farmers. S4S Technologies has developed solar-powered processing systems that allow food to be processed closer to farms. The company also works with smallholder women farmers, giving them access to processing equipment and opportunities to earn from agricultural produce.
The award comes after a selection process that began earlier this year. The 2026 programme received 208 applications, with nearly 70 per cent coming from first-time applicants, according to the Jubilant Bhartia Foundation. Five finalists were selected after reviews that considered social impact, innovation, scalability, sustainability and the potential for wider change.
The other finalists were Dr Neha Verma of Intelehealth in Maharashtra, Nuneseno Chase of YouthNet in Nagaland, Vinay Kumar Reddy Vadde of Sickle Innovations Pvt. Ltd. in Telangana and Vineet Saraiwala of Atypical Advantage in Jharkhand. Their work covers healthcare, youth development, agricultural technology and employment for people with disabilities.
Pant’s work sits at the meeting point of farming, food processing and rural employment. S4S Technologies says it was created to address problems faced by farmers as well as customers in the food and beverage industry. Its model includes processing produce that may be rejected because of its appearance but remains suitable for use as food ingredients.
The company has also worked with women in rural areas as micro-entrepreneurs. The World Economic Forum has described S4S as a decentralised agri-processing platform in which women operate solar-powered food dehydration systems. Pant has spoken about using such systems to process produce at the farm gate, reducing waste while giving farmers another source of income.
For Pant, the work has been linked to a long-standing concern about farming communities. Her profile on S4S Technologies identifies her as a co-founder of the company, while earlier profiles note her background in chemical technology. She studied at the Institute of Chemical Technology in Mumbai.
The 2026 award is the latest stage in a programme that has been running in India since 2009. The Jubilant Bhartia Foundation and the Schwab Foundation began working together on the award in 2010 to promote social entrepreneurship in India. The award has since recognised people working on issues such as healthcare, education, livelihoods, agriculture, climate action and financial inclusion.
The organisers opened applications for the 2026 award in March, with candidates assessed on areas including market-based approaches, technology use, sustainability, direct social impact, reach, scope and replicability. The winner also becomes part of the Schwab Foundation’s global community of social innovators.
Speaking at the ceremony, N K Singh said social entrepreneurs needed an environment in which new ideas could grow. He also called for greater trust in society, acceptance of failure and stronger research and development so that successful social ventures could be expanded.
“This is an admirable venture to award and recognise the diversity of people who have made a difference in their lives, transcending all the barriers to make a more wholesome society. All these are celebrations of change, of innovation ushering a better future. The five people whom we have awarded today are examples of unreasonable people who have sought to change the world in multiple ways. We need to inspire trust in society to accept both success and not to stigmatise failure, and dramatically enhance the capability of research and development so that the five people whom we have awarded today can be multiplied in multiple ways. My congratulations to all the finalists and my gratitude to this foundation for nurturing this journey, which began 17 years ago, and has a great, exciting future ahead of it,” he said.
Dr François Bonnici, Director of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship and a member of the Executive Committee of the World Economic Forum, said the partnership with the Jubilant Bhartia Foundation had recognised social entrepreneurs for 17 years.
“For seventeen years, our partnership with the Jubilant Bhartia Foundation has celebrated remarkable individuals who are challenging established norms and creating new pathways for inclusion, opportunity, and resilience. This year’s finalists exemplify the power of social entrepreneurship to address complex societal challenges through innovation, collaboration, and systems-level thinking. Their work offers valuable lessons not only for India but for the wider global community.”
Shyam S Bhartia, Chairman and Founder of Jubilant Bhartia Group and Founder Director of Jubilant Bhartia Foundation, said the award had helped build a community of social entrepreneurs in India.
“The 17th edition of the Social Entrepreneur of the Year India Award brings together a community united by a common purpose to create meaningful, sustainable and lasting social impact. Over the past 17 years, our partnership with the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship has helped recognise and amplify the work of remarkable social entrepreneurs across India. This year’s finalists embody the courage, persistence and innovation required to turn a vision into transformative change. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and the promise of what lies ahead.”
Aashti Bhartia, Director of Jubilant Ingrevia and Non-Executive Director of Jubilant FoodWorks, delivered the vote of thanks. She said the finalists had shown determination while working in areas such as healthcare, agriculture, youth empowerment and inclusion.
“The Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award allows us to reflect on what it truly takes to create change. Beyond ideas, technology and resources, it takes the courage to look at long-standing challenges differently, along with the conviction to begin and the resilience to continue. All our finalists this year have demonstrated incredible conviction and resilience, with a determination to make an impact across healthcare, agriculture, youth empowerment and inclusion. The award is more than about picking a winner; it is about shining a light on what is possible. Our finalists have shown us that and inspired us.”
The ceremony was also attended by Chetna Gala, founder of Mann Desh Mahila Bank.
The wider issue behind the award is the growing need for practical solutions to problems faced by farmers, rural workers and low-income communities. In agriculture, reducing post-harvest losses can help farmers retain more value from crops that might otherwise be sold at low prices or wasted. S4S Technologies’ model focuses on processing closer to where crops are grown, with women playing a role in operating the processing units. The World Economic Forum has previously featured Pant’s work as an example of efforts to connect food systems with employment, gender equality and climate concerns.
For the Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Pant’s selection also places a focus on the role of technology in rural economies. The 2026 finalists were drawn from different parts of India and worked across sectors, showing the range of issues being addressed through social enterprise. The programme has moved beyond recognising individual achievements to providing awardees with access to networks, mentoring, learning opportunities and programmes intended to help them strengthen their organisations.
Pant’s award therefore marks the latest chapter in an initiative that has spent 17 years looking for people building businesses and organisations around social needs. Her work with S4S Technologies adds another example of how food processing, solar technology and rural entrepreneurship can be brought together to address problems that begin on the farm.