Bangalore, India— Mr. Parag Kulkarni, Managing Director of A. O. Smith India Water Products Pvt., Ltd., has been named as one of the 100 Most Trusted CEOs of 2017, in the third edition of WCRC Superfest held recently in New Delhi .

Recipients are chosen based on their performance, ethics, and values along with company performance.  “India’s Most Trusted CEOs 2016-2017 is about the CEOs who have steered their organizations to great heights in the last financial year,” according to WCRC.

Commenting on the achievement Mr. Parag Kulkarni said, “This award is not just about me, it reflects the hard work and dedication of the entire A. O. Smith team.  We continuously seek ways to better serve our water heater and water treatment customers throughout India.”

Mr. Kulkarni, who joined A. O. Smith as managing director in 2015, helped launch the company’s line of reverse osmosis and RO + SCMT residential water purifiers in India.  The premium line of water purifiers is available in eight of the largest cities in India with plans to expand market coverage to 17 cities later this year.  The company also is a leading manufacturer of residential water heaters designed specifically for Indian consumers including electric storage, electric instant, and air-to-heat units.  Numerous A. O. Smith water heaters come with the BEE five-star rating.

 “I believe another important factor that contributes to this recognition is A. O. Smith’s global values, which are embraced by employees throughout the company,” Mr. Kulkarni continued.  “We believe in doing business with uncompromising honesty and integrity, and I know our customers appreciate that commitment.  All of our employees receive extensive training on our guiding principles and doing business the correct way—it is a reason why our company has prospered for 143 years.”

Mr. Kulkarni is a member of the India CEO Forum and is on the CII National Committee of Design. He is also on the jury of Superbrands India.  Earlier this year, he was named one of the 50 Most Impactful Leaders in Water and Water Management.

A. O. Smith entered the Indian water heating market in 2008 and offers an extensive line of residential water heating products designed for Indian consumers.  In 2010, the company opened a 76,000 square feet manufacturing operation in Bangalore and expanded it to 297,000 square feet and began manufacturing water purification products in 2015.