EXEMPLARS 2026

Some individuals don’t just achieve greatness — they carry a city’s name with them into the world.

The Citizen Extraordinaire recognition is RCB’s highest honour, bestowed by the Board on a distinguished Bengalurean whose excellence in their vocation has transcended boundaries, created meaningful societal impact, and made this city proud on a global stage.

This recognition is not applied for. It is earned — and it is given.

Business success is measured in balance sheets. But a great company leaves a different kind of mark — on the communities it operates in, the people it employs, and the city it calls home. The Corporate Citizen recognition honours a company that has demonstrated, through consistent action, that doing well and doing good are not in conflict.

Who should be nominated: A company with an impeccable reputation, strong governance, and CSR initiatives that have created real, measurable impact in Karnataka. Awarded across two sub-categories — Large Companies (annual turnover above ₹200 Cr) and Medium Companies (turnover up to ₹200 Cr, professionally managed).

Criteria:

• Impeccable reputation in the conduct of its business
• Appropriate corporate governance, including Independent Directors on the Board
• Equal opportunity employment practices; fair and transparent treatment of vendors
• A structured CSR programme with positive impact in Karnataka
• A clearly articulated vision for corporate citizenship — and evidence of living it
• Operations in the State of Karnataka

 Companies promoted or owned by RCB Rotarians, companies in the liquor or tobacco industry, and government departments are not eligible.

Behind every statistic about poverty, disease, or exclusion is an organisation that decided not to look away. The Outstanding NGO recognition is for the ones who showed up — not once, but year after year — and built something that genuinely changed lives in Bengaluru and Karnataka.

Who should be nominated: A registered NGO or social enterprise with a track record of sustained, measurable community impact — one that has earned its credibility the hard way.

Criteria:

• Registered under the State or Central Government
• Providing active service for at least five years
• Non-political and non-religious in character
• Based in or around Bengaluru
• A team of at least 10 members — not a one-person operation
• Demonstrated impact on a significant cross-section of the community
• Has not received a major national or state-level award previously

Not every extraordinary person has a LinkedIn profile or a press feature. Some of Bengaluru’s finest are the ones you encounter every day — the master craftsman, the artisan who carries a 400-year-old tradition in their hands, the service provider who shows up with quiet excellence, day after day. The Pride of Work recognition is for them.

This is not about status or scale. It is about the dignity of craft, the depth of dedication, and the kind of work ethic that, if more of us had it, would make everything around us better.

Who should be nominated: An individual from Karnataka — self-employed, or working at the shop-floor level — whose commitment to their craft is truly exceptional and deserving of wider recognition.

Criteria:

• From the State of Karnataka
• Self-employed, or an employee working at shop-floor level in an organisation
• Demonstrates exceptional pride, skill, and dedication in their vocation
• Work that reflects cultural continuity, dignity of labour, or mastery of craft

Bengaluru is one of the world’s great startup cities. But behind the headline valuations are thousands of founders who bet everything on a problem worth solving — and built something that actually works.

The Start-Up Success recognition honours an entrepreneurial venture that has created tangible impact through innovation, growth, or social value.

Who should be nominated: A Bengaluru-based startup that has moved beyond an idea — one with real traction, real users, and a real story of grit and execution.

Criteria:

• Founded and based in Bengaluru / Karnataka
• Demonstrates clear innovation — in product, process, or business model
• Evidence of meaningful traction: revenue, user growth, jobs created, or social outcomes
• Founded and led by individuals (not subsidiaries of large corporations)
• Has not been previously recognised by EXEMPLARS

Bengaluru has lost more than half its tree cover and over 90% of its lakes in the last four decades. Against that backdrop, the people and organisations fighting to reverse this story are not just environmentalists — they are essential.

The Environment Conservation recognition honours an individual or organisation whose dedicated, on-the-ground work has made a measurable difference to Bengaluru’s or Karnataka’s natural environment.

Who should be nominated: Someone who has done the hard work — not just raised awareness, but delivered outcomes. Acres conserved. Lakes restored. Species protected. Communities mobilised.

Criteria:

• Individual or organisation based in Karnataka
• Demonstrable, measurable environmental impact — quantitative outcomes preferred
• Track record of sustained effort, not a single initiative
• Work that is path-breaking, pioneering, or has effected a genuine paradigm shift
• Integrity and credibility of the individuals or team driving the work

Every generation produces a few young people who simply refuse to wait. They don’t have all the resources. They often don’t have the backing. But they have the conviction — and they act on it.

The Youth Icon recognition celebrates a young leader from Karnataka who has dared to dream big, worked with extraordinary discipline to get there, and in doing so, has become an inspiration to others.

Who should be nominated: A young person (35 years or below) who has achieved something genuinely remarkable — in sport, science, the arts, social service, entrepreneurship, or any field — and whose story makes Bengaluru proud.

Criteria:

• 35 years of age or below at the time of nomination
• A citizen of Karnataka, or having made Bengaluru their home
• A specific, verifiable achievement — not just potential or promise
• Evidence of perseverance, discipline, and hard work — not just talent
• An impeccable personal and professional profile
• A role model and source of inspiration for peers and younger generations