RAI Chennai retail summit 2026: Driving the future of retail through innovation

The Retailers Association of India (RAI) successfully organised the 9th edition of the Chennai Retail Summit 2026 on 19^th August 2026, at the prestigious ITC Grand Chola Chennai. The summit brought together leading retailers, industry experts, and key decision-makers from across India’s retail ecosystem.

Centred around the theme The Changing World of Retail, the summit provided a dynamic platform for stakeholders to share perspectives, discuss emerging trends, identify new avenues for growth, and address the rapidly changing retail landscape. Against the backdrop of Chennai’s vibrant and expanding retail market, the summit highlighted the city’s increasing importance as a centre for retail innovation, investment, and collaboration.

Speaking about the summit, Kumar Rajagopalan, Executive Director and CEO, Retailers Association of India (RAI), said, “Tamil Nadu has been at the forefront of India’s retail evolution. The state had chain stores more than 70 years ago thanks to customer-focused business owners and the depth of its retail culture. The family businesses here have witnessed three to four generations transform the retail offerings and brand positioning to meet new consumer realities. A different pace and the precision required today to be salient to customers. An experience that is personalised enough for customers to feel seen and served. That combination — cultural depth and technological ambition — is what makes Tamil Nadu’s retail moment genuinely exciting.”

The summit featured an esteemed line-up of industry leaders, including Venkatesh Vijayaraghavan, MD & CEO of TTK Prestige Ltd.; Suhail Sattar, Director of Hasbro Clothing (Basics); Balachandar R., Director of Junior Kuppanna; and Balakrishnan GP, a member of the Leadership Team at Super Saravana Stores, amongst others.Their sessions offered practical perspectives on addressing current industry challenges, identifying emerging opportunities, and preparing businesses for the next phase of retail growth.

SUHAIL SATTAR, Director, Hasbro Clothing (Basics) | Chairman, RAI Chennai Chapter, said, “This market rewards honesty. If the product is good, price it right and make the store worth walking into — Chennai’s consumer will find you. What’s changed is the speed. The consumer moves faster now. She decides quicker, expects more, and has more options than ever before. The brands winning today are the ones keeping what made them trusted while moving fast enough to stay relevant.”

BALACHANDAR R., Director, Junior Kuppanna, highlighted, “Tamil Nadu’s consumer knows when you’re cutting corners. You can’t win them with packaging or marketing. They’ve grown up with good food, good service, and real value, and they expect all three, every single time. Our job is to make sure that every time someone walks in, they leave feeling it was worth it. That’s the only strategy that works here.”

C.K. KUMARAVEL, Co-Founder & CMD, Naturals Salon & Spa, expressed, “Tamil Nadu taught me that trust is everything. The consumer here is loyal, but she earns that loyalty from you — you don’t get it for free. Get the experience right, treat your people well, and she’ll come back. She’ll bring her daughter. She’ll recommend you to her neighbour. That word-of-mouth is more powerful than any campaign we’ve ever run.”

The India Retail Excellence Awards (IREA), an annual flagship event by the Retailers Association of India (RAI), serves as the grand finale of the Chennai Retail Summit. This coveted platform brings together industry leaders and visionaries to recognize and honour exceptional retail excellence.

The IREA 2026 celebrated exceptional achievements from both seasoned and emerging retail leaders spanning multiple sectors, including Apparel & Lifestyle, Beauty & Wellness, Home Decor & Home Improvement, Department Stores, Food & General Retail, Consumer Durables & IT (CDIT), Jewellery, Footwear, Mobile, Restaurants & QSR, and Specialty Retail.

A jury panel comprising experts from the industry thoroughly evaluated the entries that were shortlisted by a reputed audit agency to select the winners.

And the Winners of the India Retail Excellence Awards are:

The 2026 edition of the Chennai Retail Summit reaffirmed RAI’s commitment to strengthening India’s retail ecosystem by fostering meaningful dialogue, encouraging collaboration, and providing a platform for industry leaders to exchange ideas that will help shape the future of retail.