Suresh Naik named among India’s 25 Visionaries of India

Outlook India recognized Harley’s Fine Baking Founder and CEO Suresh Naik among its “25 Visionaries of India” as India marked its 80th Independence Day. The honor spotlights Naik’s entrepreneurship, job creation and push to build a globally admired premium food brand from India.

Why it matters: - Outlook India’s recognition puts Harley’s Fine Baking and Suresh Naik in the national spotlight during India’s 80th Independence Day celebrations. - The honor links Naik’s work to India’s broader ambition to become a $5 trillion economy. - Naik is positioning Harley’s as proof that an Indian-origin consumer brand can compete globally.

What happened: - Outlook India named Suresh Naik, Founder and CEO of Harley’s Fine Baking, among the “25 Visionaries of India.” - The recognition was announced on the eve of India’s 80th Independence Day. - The award cites Naik’s entrepreneurship, innovation, institution-building and vision. - Naik said the recognition is humbling and that India’s $5 trillion economy will be built by entrepreneurs, employees, innovators and institutions creating opportunity at scale.

The details: - Harley’s Fine Baking started in 2020 during the pandemic, when Naik began baking for his daughters. - The business grew from home baking into a premium dessert and confectionery brand. - Harley’s now has more than 70 stores across six major Indian markets. - Naik said the company’s growth has been driven largely by customer advocacy and word of mouth. - Naik focused on premium ingredients, distinctive products, standardised operations, scalable processes, packaging, supply-chain discipline and consistent customer experience. - Naik’s earlier career included working as an assistant accountant, attending IIM Calcutta and later working at Tech Mahindra with international exposure in the Middle East and Africa. - He started a telecom engineering and infrastructure business in 2008. - He later built an education business school focused on management talent for the technology, telecom and ICT sectors. - Naik says he has mentored more than 400 entrepreneurs. - Harley’s says it is an Indian-origin premium dessert and confectionery brand building toward international expansion. More information - Harley’s also shared its Instagram presence in the release. Brand updates

Between the lines: - Naik’s story mixes personal resilience, serial entrepreneurship and brand building. - The company is framing growth as more than retail expansion, tying it to jobs, livelihoods and national economic ambition. - Harley’s is using a global-brand narrative to stand out in India’s crowded premium food market.

What's next: - Harley’s plans to keep expanding internationally with a goal of becoming a globally admired premium food brand of Indian origin. - Naik wants the company to create livelihoods in India and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs to think globally. - The brand is building its product development, packaging, store design and customer experience with a global outlook.

The bottom line: - Naik’s recognition underscores a bigger message: India’s next growth story may depend not just on startups and factories, but on consumer brands built at home and scaled for the world.