Most Admired Retailer of the year Leisure: Planet M	Most Admired Retailer of the year – Entertainment: PVR	Most Admired Retailer of the year – Mobile & Telecom: The Mobile Store
Recd by: Vishal Mahajan, Zonal head, Videocon Retail Presented by: Pradeep Jain, CMD, Parsvnath Developers	Recd by: Pramod Arora, President & CEO, PVR Presented by: Pascal Allix, General Manager, South Asia, Oracle	Recd by: Rajiv Agarwal, CEO & Director, The Mobile Store Presented by: Daljeet Singh, MD, AIPL
Most Admired Retailer of the year -- Beauty & Fitness care: VLCC	Most Admired Retailer of the year -- Health & Wellness: Apollo Pharmacy	Most Admired Retailer of the year -- Fashion & Lifestyle: Benetton
Recd by: Mukesh Luthra, CMD, VLCC Presented by: Vipin Arora, Managing Partner IRIS & Preeti Jhingiani, Bollywood actor	Recd by: P Jaya Kumar, DGM Retail, Apollo Presented by: RPA Vision team – Janine Leadbeater, Mark Cherrett, Nigel Collett	Recd by: Dalip Tahil, Bollywood actor, on behalf of Benetton Presented by: Tesca Cook, MD & Paul Martin, Global Sales Manager, Planet Retail
Most Admired Retailer of the year -- Catering Outlets: Café Coffee Day	Most Admired Retailer of the year -- Food & Grocery: Reliance Fresh	Most Admired Retailer of the year -- Consumer Electronics: Croma
Recd by: Parizad Kolah Marshall, TV show host on behalf of CCD Presented by: David Martin, JMD, M Worldwide	Recd by: Peshwa Acharya, VP, Mktg & Consumer experience, Reliance Retail Presented by: Doug Hargrove, Chief Mktg Officer, Torex	Recd by: Dalip Tahil, Bollywood actor, on behalf of Croma Presented by: dott. Lucio Cauzzo, CEO, SGF
Most Admired Retailer of the year -- Rural Retail: Kisan Seva Kendra	Most Admired Retailer of the year -- Department Store: Lifestyle	Most Admired Retailer of the year -- Hypermarket: Big Bazaar
Recd by: AMK Sinha, ED, Retail, Indian Oil Presented by: Mr & Mrs Bob Pritchard	Recd by: Kabir Lumba, ED, Lifestyle Presented by: Manish Kalani, MD, EWDPL	Recd by: Rajan Malhotra, President- Strategy & Convergence, Pantaloon Retail Presented by: Atul Ruia, MD, Phoenix Mills & Manisha Kalani
Most Admired Retailer of the year: Customer Relationship Management: Shoppers Stop	Most Admired Retail Launch of the year: New U	Most Admired Retailer of the year -- Innovative Concept: Manipal Cure & Care
Recd by: B S Nagesh, MD, Shoppers Stop Presented by: Jayne Riley, Managing Director & David Walter, Founder, Photolink Creative India	Recd by: Peter Baker, CEO, H&B Stores Presented by: Sanjeev Gupta, MD, Vision Global Investments	Recd by: Somnath Das, COO, Manipal Cure & Care Presented by: Dr. Nicola Evoli, Grottini & Kerrie Hales, Campbellrigg
Most Evolved Retailer of the year: Spencer’s	Most Admired Retail Group of the year: Future Group	Most Admired Retail Face of the year: Kishore Biyani
Recd by: Nimesh Shah, VP Operations, Spencer’s Presented by: R S Roy, Images Group & Jayne Rafter, Publisher, Retail & Leisure International, UK	Recd by: Kishore Biyani, Founder & CEO, Future Group Presented by: Shishir Baijal, MD & CEO, Future Capital Real estate	Recd by: Kishore Biyani, Future Group Presented by: Amitabh Taneja, Head, Images Group

Rated as the foremost emerging market for global retailers, the business of retail in India is undergoing dramatic shifts. While it has been great fun for consumers shopping in malls and visiting multiplexes and entertainment zones, the current period of transformation has been a challenging time for the business itself. On one hand, new players have been relentless about establishing a pan-India format; and on the other, traditional retailers have been pushed to keep pace with the new evolving formats. The environment is invigorating, and the competition, very, very tough! Inevitably, there is a new breed of leaders and learners who, while creating their own niches in the business, are helping shape the business for good.

Identifying the need for acknowledging and rewarding success in retail, IMAGES instituted IMAGES RETAIL AWARDS (IRA) in 2004.

Minds and models of retail industry also fetched recognition at IRF through Images Retail Awards (IRA) 2008. The awards, presented for 18 different categories within the industry, marked the culmination of a prestigious event with a glittering award ceremony. India’s retailing czar Kishore Biyani captured 'The Most Admired Retail Face of the Year' award.

Other IRA'08 awardees included Spencer's (most evolved retailer of the year), Shoppers Stop (best customer relationship management), Kisan Seva Kendra (rural retailer), Café Coffee Day (catering outlets), Reliance Fresh (food and grocery), Planet M (leisure), Croma (consumer electronics), PVR (entertainment), Lifestyle (department store), VLCC (beauty and fitness care), The Mobile Store (telecom and mobile services), Manipal Cure & Care (innovative concept), Big Bazaar (hypermarket), Benetton (fashion and lifestyle retailer), Apollo Pharmacy (health and wellness) and New U (new retail launch).

IRF, described by the Associated Press of USA as “the biggest retail industry convention” in India, is all set to return in September 2009.