Golden Key Awards 2024: Celebrating Excellence in Market Research

The Market Research Society of India (MRSI) hosted Golden Key Awards 2024 on Thursday, 21st February 2025, celebrating remarkable achievements in the market research and insights industry. The awards honoured individuals and organizations for their innovative contributions, business impact and leadership in research and analytics.

Looking at the winners, the first award category was supported by Nestle India. Aadya Sinha from Third Eye Integrated Services was awarded Best Researcher Under 30, celebrating emerging talent in the industry. Datamatics Global Services received The Most Humane Organisation Award for its commitment to people-first policies. Within this category, Kantar stood out as the only organization to win two major accolades, earning Best Operations Team of the Year and Best Client Servicing Team of the Year, reinforcing its leadership in research operations and client engagement. Flipkart & Myntra were honored as Best Client Insight Team of the Year, acknowledging their expertise in consumer insights.

Indian Chess Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand also took the stage for an inspiring conversation on strategy, decision-making, and mastery in a compelling conversation with Shafali Arora of Hindustan Unilever Limited. Anand shared his insights on navigating challenges with foresight and precision. His insights into the parallels between chess and leadership offered valuable lessons on critical thinking and long-term vision to the audience.

The second award category was powered by ITC. Ipsos & IKEA were honored with The Most Effective Story-Teller Award for their ability to create engaging and impactful consumer stories. Metrix Research & Analytics won Best Data Collection Innovation for highlighting new approaches to gathering and analyzing data, enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of market insights. Hindustan Unilever Limited was awarded Best Research Methodology Innovation for its trend-driven insights, while Datamatics Global Services received the Best Use of Technology Award for its AI-powered research solutions that are redefining the role of technology in market analysis. This category recognized organizations that are pushing the boundaries of research and analytics through innovation and strategic execution.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of Lifetime Achievement Awards to C.K. Sharma and Ashok Das for their exceptional contributions to the market research field. Additionally, a Special Award was presented to Dr. Lalit S. Kanodia for his transformative impact on the industry, acknowledging his pioneering work in market research, analytics and technology-driven insights. These awards were followed by a session by these trailblazers where they reflected on their journeys, explored the changing landscape of market research and analytics, and encouraged aspiring professionals through a fireside chat. 

The third and final award category was powered by Kantar. Hindustan Unilever Limited secured Best Work in Emerging Sectors for unlocking e-commerce potential in beauty and wellness emphasizing how research can fuel growth in evolving markets. Ipsos secured Best Developmental Research for its Inclusion Insights study, a pioneering effort that provided a deep understanding of social and economic inclusivity. Flipkart Internet Pvt. Ltd. received Best Communication Crafting Research, proving their expertise in using data to create compelling brand narratives. Hindustan Unilever Limited took home two additional awards for Best Business Impact Through Analytics and Best Business Impact Through Research, recognizing its success in decoding sun protection and translating research into actionable market strategies.

The event was made possible with the support of the partners including, Smytten Pulse, Hindustan Unilever Limited, Kantar, Nestlé, ITC, Convosight, Amazon, Datamatics, NielsenIQ, Takumi International, The Third Eye, Global Matrix Survey, Ipsos, TATA Consumer Products Limited, Adgully and Manifest. 

Overall, the 6th edition of Golden Key Awards was a mix of celebrating achievements to thought-provoking discussions.  The Market Research Society of India remains committed to creating a supportive and enriching environment for market research professionals by bringing together the best minds in the field.