Everybody loves a winner. That's just as things should be, because a winner epitomises all qualities that humans aspire for. She is smarter, more dogged, and not infrequently has a lucky wind blowing behind her. But there's a particular kind of winner we tend to admire and emulate more than any other. And that is the young winner. Imagine heading a Rs 1,000-crore company, or turning around a sinking business, or launching a blockbuster idea when you are not yet 30 or 35? Or how about being called the young author of a breakthrough innovation that changes the lives of millions? Such heady achievements evoke the same awe and envy that greet every child prodigy.

The irony of it, though, is that-given the ways of the world-a winner is not a winner unless she has been recognised so. Thus, you have hundreds of people, if not thousands, who labour brilliantly in dark confines of the society without the world ever getting to know about them. Is that fair? Not at all. It's not just unfair to the exceptional people in question, but actually a colossal loss of opportunity-in that role models who otherwise could have inspired millions of people, young and old, in India, quietly succumb to anonymity. Yet, if India is to shine, the stars must be brought out.

It was with that idea in mind did Business Today start looking at ways to turn this into an initiative that would be both national and sustainable. After many rounds of brainstorming and debate over cups of coffee and Chinese tea, variously, we decided on something we now have named "Business Today Young Super Performer Award". The name says it all: The focus is on people who are both young and super performers. What are the parameters? The first part is easy: By young we mean people below the age of 40. The tricky bit is defining just who a super performer is. Yet, it's obvious that such a person must have something outstanding to his or her credit. Also, it is safe to say that if you are a super performer, people-in our case, they include everybody from the CEO to the head hunter to the analyst to peer groups to hr honchos-have noticed you.

So, how Business Today plans to go about it is thus: For starters, our nationwide team of reporters and editors will speak to key constituents in corporate India, science and research, and social work. Based on this, a masterlist will be drawn up. This masterlist will be whittled down to 15 by a core group of our own editorial team. Thereafter, the shortlist will be handed over to an expert panel. It will comprise seasoned CEOs, savvy investors, hr pros, and luminaries from the field of science and social work. The panel will devote half a day arguing for and against each name on the list of 15. At the end of it, there will be just three winners, one each in the categories of CEO, Entrepreneur, and Ideator. Will you be one of them? Wait and watch.