Munjal is a creator, producer and director with 27 years of experience across the entire spectrum of live-action, animation, gaming and VFX. He co-founded his production company and animation studio, Graphiti in 1995. Over the last two decades he has produced over 500 brand communication films and TV commercials. His passion for creating original content and understanding of the business of kid’s entertainment has helped to establish his animation studio as a content powerhouse. He has forged partnerships with some of the biggest names in kids entertainment including Netflix, Walt Disney TV, Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon and has also helped to put India on the global map for original content. He has developed and produced India's first kids live action with 3D animation TV show ‘J bole toh Jadoo’ with Nickelodeon. He brought Indian folk art and folk series to the children not just in India but across the world through his hit children's movie series ‘Krish, Trish and Baltiboy’ which is on Cartoon Network and Gubbare. He is also the creator of the animated series, ‘YOM’ for Disney Channel. ‘YOM’ and ‘Krish, Trish and Baltiboy’ have been released by Netflix in 150 countries in multiple languages including Hindi, English, Turkish, Polish, Korean and Chinese. His latest creation is the Netflix Original, ‘Deepa and Anoop’ which has been produced by Mattel TV. It’s a music-driven series starring seven-year-old Deepa and her colour-changing elephant Anoop as they “help” guests at her family’s bed and breakfast with Deepa’s incredibly imaginative solutions. The show swept the Kidscreen 2023 Awards with four wins – Best New Show, Best Inclusivity, Best Music and Best Voice Talent. He is the only Asian creator with the rare honour of his show receiving four Kidscreen awards in a year.

His brilliance as a creative producer has led him to the prestigious project of creating the official YouTube Channel Yoga with Modi featuring the 3D animated Yoga Video featuring a 3D avatar of the honorable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi.

His selfless contribution to the cause of producing original Indian content has won him many accolades and was also honoured as the Toon Titan of Asia by Animation Magazine, USA.

He also serves as the co-chairman of FICCI AVGC Forum (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics). He is a member of FICCI’s Media and Entertainment committee and is also an Advisory Board member of Media and Entertainment Skill Council. He recently served on the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s task force on National Animation, VFX, Gaming, Comic and XR Policy.

After a dedicated tenure as the Country Head for Technicolor Group (TG) in India for over 15 years, Biren’s recent promotion as Managing Director – Asia Pacific is a testament of his passion and commitment to the company and the AVGC (Animation, VFX, Games and Comics) industry.

He has taken this 108-year-old arts and sciences world major now which has a majority of its Human Resources in India to a peak strength of over 7000 employees. This includes TCS’s marquee brands MPC (for film and TV VFX), The Mill (for advertising and experiential VFX), Technicolor Games; & Mikros Animation (for Episodic and Feature Animation). As of 2022, he is also a member of the Global Executive Committee of Technicolor Group.

During his tenure Technicolor, its brands and their clients have won over 8 Emmy Awards for TV animation; 4 Academy Awards [Oscars] and a clutch of global awards like 24 Cannes Lions, 28 VES, 4 BAFTAs, several British Arrows, etc. This is one obvious testimony to the cutting-edge capabilities of the studio’s teams who partner the ‘best of the best’ global clients and creative in the world.

He has also served as India’s National Task Force member to help develop the national AVGC policy and the National Center for Excellence (NCOE) for animation, VFX and Games for India. Biren is the Chairman for CII’s National AVGC Committee. He also chairs and curates CII Summit FX (the leading AVGC – XR conference since its inception in 2020). He is Chief Mentor for STPI in their COE’s at Shillong for animation & Imphal for AR/VR. He has previously served on the committees of NASSCOM, FICCI, ABAI and other trade bodies.

At a personal level, Biren has received the National Order of Merit - a knighthood conferred on him by the President of France. He has also been awarded the Global Asian of the Year 2021 presented by ET AsiaOne.

He is generous of his time and is well known for his creativity, hospitality, and good humour. Biren is multi-faceted and has a passion for art, music, photography, wines and spirits.

Anand Baid is a seasoned animation veteran with over two decades of experience in the field. As the Head of DNEG Feature Animation, India, he has overseen the production of numerous acclaimed animated features, including ‘Under the Boardwalk,’ ‘Nimona,’ ‘The Garfield Movie’ and ‘That Christmas.’ He is currently working on ‘Angry Birds 3,’ a film co-produced by Prime Focus Studios.

Anand has previously worked at DreamWorks Animation India. His commitment to fostering the growth of the animation industry extends beyond his professional roles. He has actively organised animation events and conducted workshops at prestigious institutions, including NID and IIM, inspiring and educating aspiring animators.

A passionate traveller, he embarked on an extraordinary road trip in 2015, along with his family from Bangalore to Paris. This adventurous journey made him the first Indian family to complete such a feat.

Jiggy George is a media and entertainment executive, entrepreneur, and founder of Dream Theatre - India’s premier brand management and licensing company.

Dream Theatre represents some of the most iconic brands in the entertainment, sports, and fashion licensing space. Over time, Dream Theatre Group has evolved its model from pure brand representation to creating its private brands, syndicating content, and distributing merchandise.

Jiggy, started his career as a fashion designer and spent a few years as an entertainment journalist beforetaking his MBA. Before Dream Theatre, Jiggy held senior management positions and multiple roles in companies like Turner Broadcasting (Cartoon Network, Pogo, Warner Media) and Viacom (MTV)and set the licensing & merchandising business for both companies.

With a rich experience spanning over two decades, Mohit Soni is a seasoned professional renowned for his prowess in building start-ups, fostering emerging businesses, and establishing noteworthy education brands within the media and entertainment sector. His visionary leadership has played a pivotal role in creating robust industry-academia collaborative models and fostering international alliances, significantly contributing to the growth of the media and entertainment sector.

As the driving force behind the Media & Entertainment Skills Council (MESC), Mohit is committed to advancing high standards and ensuring sustainable development in the industry. He actively cultivates partnerships with media, film, and television companies, as well as educational institutions, fostering a skilled workforce equipped with the precise skills needed for excellence in the profession.

Beyond national borders, he extends his influence globally by seeking and developing international partnerships with other countries. This initiative aims to facilitate the exchange of ideas and knowledge, with the ultimate goal of creating a resilient, globally interconnected, and sustainable media and entertainment industry. His dedication and strategic vision continue to shape and elevate the standards of the industry, positioning him as a key figure in its ongoing evolution.

Ramesh Pyla is a seasoned technology leader with over 22 years of experience in IT Hardware industry. Currently, he serves as National Sales Manager at AMD handling the India mega region desktop and workstation product portfolio.

He loves to create innovative retail infrastructure to demonstrate latest AMD Gaming CPU and GPUs also engage with leading SI partners across india to build workstation solutions with AMD Radeon Pro and AMD Ryzen Threaripper products.

Prior to AMD he associated with HP Inc and Reliance Infocomm managing retail business across South and West metro cities.

In addition to his professional work, Ramesh is passionate about mentoring young professionals to build their careers in TECH retail. Recently he addressed leading VFX professionals in VFX 2023 Summit happened in Hyderabad.

Today he is all set to present the trending suite of AMD Pro Products for all animation professionals.

Consistently ranked amongst the Top 50 Most Influential Women in Media in the country by IMPACT Magazine for many years, Vanita Keswani is a seasoned media professional. She started her media career with Madison 26 years ago. She heads Madison Media Sigma, a Unit of Madison as CEO, with a diverse portfolio of marquee brands in the Mumbai office, ranging from CEAT, McDonalds, Blue Star, Shaadi.com, Indian Oil, Blue Star, Glenmark, Lodha and several others.

Gauri Sriram is the Co-founder and Director of Studio56 Animation, a leading international animation and design company based in Bangalore, India. A graduate in Instrumentation Engineering, she transitioned from a successful banking career at ICICI Bank to co-founding Studio56 in 2011. Gauri is also a certified Art of Living Happiness Program teacher and has taught meditation programs globally. She serves as Executive Producer for international animated series such as 100% Wolf and Mia & Me. Passionate about education and culture, she supports various initiatives like the Gift-A-Smile program and the World Forum for Arts & Culture.

Arvind Singh Jeena is a seasoned creative professional with over 9 years of experience in the animation industry. As the Co-founder and Creative Director of Totem Creative—a dynamic studio specialising in 2D Animation and Design production services—he has made significant contributions to the field.

Arvind has directed two award-winning animated short films, ‘Crossing’ and ‘Paperplanes,’ as as well as the animated music video ‘Maya.’ His work also includes a diverse portfolio of animated TV commercials and promos. Notably, ‘Paperplanes’ has been showcased at prestigious festivals such as the Annecy Festival in France and the Stuttgart Film Festival in Germany, continuing to captivate audiences worldwide as it travels to major film festivals across continents.

Arvind's expertise extends to graphic novels and illustrations. He played a key role in the creation of ‘Legends of Bullett Raja,’ a graphic novel series for the Bollywood film Bullett Raja starring Saif Ali Khan. Additionally, his illustrations are featured in the bestselling biography of Chhatrapati Shivaji, ‘Challenging Destiny.’ Arvind continues to push creative boundaries by producing his own short films and web content.

With over a decade of hands-on industry experience in the Film & TV space, Samit Shetty is a specialist and go-to person for Animation & Visual Effects technologies. He has managed & collaborated on entertainment projects of all sizes, working for some of the major production houses in APAC, US & Canada. A trained post production artist himself, Samit spent a few years in the education segment as well, training the next generation of artists, most of whom today hold senior positions at leading studios.

In his current role as a Technical Specialist at Autodesk, Samit works closely with VFX Supervisors & Heads of top studios in the country to help them set up and optimise their technology workflows for best quality output and efficiency. He draws from his long experience in cinematic procedures, latest technologies, editing, Animation- VFX workflows to deliver the best solutions to Autodesk customers.

Arun P A is a Lighting Supervisor at DNEG, currently working on ‘Angry Birds 3,’ a film co-produced by Prime Focus Studios.

Arun has been an integral part of the DNEG team for nearly three years and contributed to several marquee projects like ‘The Garfield Movie,’ ‘Under the Boardwalk,’ and ‘Entergalactic.’ His primary responsibility includes quality and artistic supervision of the lighting department with input from VFX supervisor, art director and the director, ensuring aesthetic consistency.

Before joining DNEG, Arun worked on Chris Appelhans's ‘Wish Dragon’ for Sony Animation at BaseFX. He has also been involved in DreamWorks projects like ‘Boss Baby,’ ‘Kung Fu Panda 3,’ ‘Home,’ ‘Penguins of Madagascar,’ ‘Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted’ and ‘Puss in Boots.'

With over 20 years of experience in the feature animation industry, Arun brings a wealth of artistic and leadership skills to guide his team toward their goals.

Chetan Hingu boasts an extensive professional background spanning 25 years, with a recent addition to AMD's team 1.5 years ago. At AMD, Chetan adeptly oversees pivotal functions including Inside Sales for APJ markets, and Strategy, and Value Business for India. Prior to his tenure at AMD, Chetan amassed 18 years of invaluable experience at HP, where he assumed diverse roles, excelling in Enterprise Sales, Channel Sales, and Product Category Management across a spectrum encompassing PCs, Servers, and Printers.

In addition to his impactful contributions at HP and AMD, Chetan has also lent his expertise to organisations such as Sify and Modi Xerox.

In terms of education, Chetan holds a degree in electronics engineering and is an alumnus of the esteemed IIM Calcutta, graduating as part of the 1998 MBA batch.

Tatsuya Maeda is a seasoned professional in the media and publishing industry, with a distinguished career spanning nearly three decades. He began his journey in 1995 when he joined Shufunotomo, a leading Japanese publishing company, where he made significant contributions to the fashion magazine field. His early work included roles in the editorial department of the popular magazine "Ray," and by 2001, he was appointed Deputy Editor-in-Chief of "MIWA."

In 2012, Maeda became the Editor-in-Chief of "CAWAIIii!" and also took on the role of head of the book department. His career progressed further in 2014 when he was promoted to Director, overseeing the editorial department at Shufunotomo.

By 2020, Maeda had risen to the position of Director at Shufunotomo Infos, and in 2023, following the company's rebranding to IMAGICA Infos Ltd., he was appointed President and Representative Director.

Under his leadership, IMAGICA Infos has continued to make a significant impact in the anime industry, with notable productions including Knights & Magic, Restaurant to Another World (Seasons 1 & 2), Isekai Cheat Magician, Isekai Labyrinth de Haarlem, The Apothecary Diaries, and the upcoming The Ideal Pimp Life (scheduled for 2026). His vision and expertise have been instrumental in driving the company's success in both publishing and anime production.

In a career spanning over a decade and half, Aby John has been a strong force in the CGI field. An engineering and management graduate, he skillfully leveraged his educational experience into production management, making him one of the most accomplished professionals in the Indian animation industry.

As the COO of 88 Pictures, Aby John is responsible to chalk out growth strategies for the studio overseeing the overall production aspects and studio operations. In his role, one of the key areas John focuses on is in strengthening the leadership team and imparting his knowledge and experience in handling large and multiple productions across shows at 88 Pictures.

Prior to joining 88 Pictures, Aby John was one of the core members of Prana Studios serving as Head of Production managing overall productions across Animation, Visual FX, Ad Films, and Ride Films (location-based themed entertainment projects) across a span of 14 years. Aby John produced multiple DVD features for Disney’s well known franchise “Tinker Bell ” along with Disney’s Theatrical Feature Films Planes1 & Planes2: Fire and Rescue. Aby has also produced a few other feature films such as Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return and French Animation Feature, Pourquoi j’ai pas mangé mon père along with many well known long format Episodic TV Shows and DVD titles. Along with Animated Feature films Aby has been the man behind many complex Ride Films projects for some of the big names in the Themed Entertainment sector including the likes of Reign of Kong – 3D Ride, Kaka’s Great Adventure, Pandaland, Magic Glaze 4D Ride, Beautiful Hunan – Flying Theatre. In his illustrious career, Aby has also been at the helm of producing many VFX assignments for acclaimed Hollywood and Bollywood films. Aby John has been a well rounded experienced producer across all forms of CGI including Animation, VFX and Ride Films.

Aby plans to apply the learnings from across the years to make the journey smoother, strengthen and develop the production management services and build scale to handle more complex and challenging shows.

Yash Thakur has been creating content since nine years for various age groups of which the last seven years have been in children’s content. He has worked as a writer and director for well-known YouTube channels such as Shudh Desi Endings and Shudh Desi Raps.

During his time as a content writer for children, he worked on 35+ shows across various channels and wrote over 1000 scripts.

He has been associated with Viacom18, Discovery Kids, Warner Media, Disney, Sony and IN10 Media Network. The execution of these projects allowed him to work with well-known animation studios such as Big Animation, Hi-Tech, Green Gold, Maya Studios and Toonz Animation.

Aashish graduated in Painting from Govt Fine Arts College, Indore in 2003 and went on to specialise in Animation from ZICA in 2006. Since then he has worked as a Director, Graphic Designer, Illustrator and Animator on numerous projects. His animated short films Saraswati, Common Story, Travel to Moon and Channel V Shorts were screened at festivals around the world and won awards including Unicef Short Film Award at Bangkok and Channel V Best Promo Award at Singapore.

His work has also been awarded at ANIFEST, FICCI, BAF and others. Before co-founding Paperboat Design Studios in 2011, Aashish worked at various creative positions in organisations such as Jadooworks, Anirights, Hurix Systems, Tata Elxsi and UTV Motion Pictures. He directed Bandbudh Aur Budbak for Zee TV, one of the most popular TV series in India in recent times. He was the Creative Producer on numerous episodes of Pakdam Pakdai for Nickelodeon and Sab Jholmaal Hai for Sony Yay. He is the Creative Director and Exec. Producer on Fukrey Boyzz.

Manish Rajoria is the founder of Aadarsh Technosoft Pvt. Ltd and the creator of Purple Turtle, a leading preschool IP of the world. Purple Turtle’s journey started as an imprint of children's books followed by the creation of characters of Purple Turtle and friends. Purple Turtle’s books are sold in more than 30 countries. The Animated series was a co-production with Ireland and France. Scripts and music came from the US from Emmy Award Winners. Purple Turtle preschools have been franchised, Purple Turtle also has a very successful Licensing and Merchandising programme globally. Purple Turtle game has been made. More than 10,000 hours of content has been created on Purple Turtle which also includes online preschool classes for nursery, LKG and UKG.

Sachitha leads a pioneering animation studio poised to launch Sri Lanka's first international feature film in 2025, utilising cutting-edge motion capture and Unreal Engine technology. Since 2015, he has served as Editor-in-Chief at Pulse, Sri Lanka's leading lifestyle platform, achieving over 6 million in weekly post reach and exemplifying his mantra: "If one can conceive it, they can achieve it." With an Electronic Engineering degree from Sheffield Hallam University, UK, Sachitha brings a strong technical foundation to his media ventures. As AGM - Digital Media at Derana, he delivers engaging, youth-focused content while continually exploring new business horizons with unwavering passion and leadership.

With over two decades in the animation industry, Veerendra is one of India's most influential creative executives. He co-founded Paprikaas Animation Studios (now transformed into Technicolor India) & Xentrix Studios, building them up to teams of 1000+ artists. He has delivered over 2000 hours of TV, DVD, Feature Films, Games and Ride Films. As Studios Head & Creative Director, he has played a pivotal role in transforming the Indian Animation scene and bringing Technicolor, DreamWorks, EA, Rockstar, MPC & others to India. He now runs Zebu Animation Studios as Founder/ Creative Director and is currently fulfilling his lifelong dream by creating 3 original IP’s with Indian inspirations and a universal allure. Ultimately, the heartwarming sound of his two children's laughter as they watch the shows he helps make is his biggest reward.

Another venture close to his heart is the Datsi Foundation. Founded on the audacious idea of bridging industry and academia, the Datsi School for Storytellers serves as a community of collaborators, innovators, and artists dedicated to pushing the boundaries of storytelling in the digital and transdisciplinary space.

The school, launched in July 2023, offers short-term courses tailored to artists of varying skill levels, enabling them to gain an edge in their careers while offering a holistic learning experience. Since May 2023, Datsi has already hosted several creative workshops, 25 events across southern India, with a footfall of 1500 students, and plans to organise more events in the coming year, aspiring to establish itself as a global creative hub.

Prasad Ajgaonkar is the Founder and Managing Director of iRealities, a leader in both technology innovation and animation. Beginning his career in the early 90s, Prasad set benchmarks with the first multimedia CD-ROM in India and has played a pivotal role in the digital transformations of major corporations such as HPCL, Mahindra Group, Adani group , l&T , to name the few . iRealities, under his visionary leadership, has pioneered in producing indigenous animation films, bringing to life Indian stories with a modern twist. Notable projects include India's first sci-fi TV series 'Antariksh,' and 'Chaar Sahibzaade,' the highest grossing Indian animation movie and the most viewed animation IP "Super V" with Virat Kohli as a super kid.

Recently, iRealities achieved international recognition with 'Motherhood – The Journey of Mata Sahib Kaur,' the first Indian film screened in the UK Parliament. And recently globally released feature film “The Light”, with National award winning Shooji Sirkar . Prasad’s blend of technical expertise and creative direction continues to influence the digital and entertainment industries profoundly.

Gaurav Malhotra is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 19 years of experience in the animation and media industry. He began his career as an animator in 2005, contributing to acclaimed projects such as Disney's ‘Planes’ and ‘Tinker Bell.'

In 2013, Gaurav founded Artha Animation, where his creative leadership has been pivotal to the company’s success. He has also played a significant role in impactful causes, producing awareness films on the Ebola virus and leading solar campaigns for UNICEF in collaboration with Firdaus Kharas.

Under Gaurav’s guidance, Artha Animation has built a strong reputation, producing web series for Zee5 and managing large-scale live-action campaigns for brands like Yokohama, Hero Group, and SBI, among others. His efforts have earned the company several awards and nominations along the way.

Gaurav Malhotra is a cross-disciplinary creative director and results-oriented entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in the animation industry. He began his career as an animator with UTV, followed by a two-year stint in Prana Studios, working on multiple projects of international repute like 'Planes' and 'Tinker Bell.' Before starting up his own venture Artha Animation in 2013, he served as Vertical Head Animation at Epic Studios which enriched his understanding of the animation production process and shaped his multi-dimensional perspective of the industry.

His creative leadership and strategic thinking have helped Artha to remain independent, delivering multiple commercial projects and short films. On top of producing original ideas, his studio has handled and executed international projects. Under his leadership, the studio has won the Best Ad Film Award twice at the International Film Festival Chandigarh.

He is inclined towards awareness films about the Ebola virus and solar campaign. He has promoted solar lights with renowned media socialist Firdaus Kharas for Unicef. As a distinguished speaker, he has given lectures and presentations at Indian institutes like Aptech.

Priya Rege is an accomplished brand builder with extensive expertise in full-funnel business strategy, brand building, and performance marketing. She brings a proven track record of driving outstanding results across consumer brands, start-ups, healthcare, and tech companies. With a strong ability to convert customer insights into high-impact initiatives, Priya has deep experience in B2C marketing, digital strategy, sales, product development, customer acquisition, and revenue growth. Priya is a strong collaborator known for her ability to drive change, break new ground and thrive in analytical, data-driven environments. As Associate Director of Marketing at McDonald's India, she applies her diverse expertise to strengthen the brand's position and deliver exceptional results.

Hansa Dangaich Mondal was born in Kolkata, West Bengal. Hansa left a well secured job and started her new venture, but it was not a smooth journey. Being a complete newcomer in the industry she learned sketching to know more about character proportion and BG perspective and studied animation in a leading Institute to know more about the pipeline of Animation. Adopting the knowledge of storyboards and direction from many international books she made herself a Pioneer in this field. She always kept her ambitions and her dreams high and has now become a leader and a successful entrepreneur. She believes that through hard work, dedication, sincerity, patience, and knowledge, one can achieve the impossible.

She started her entrepreneurial journey in 2001 after she co-founded the company Ssoftoons – which is one of India’s leading animation company, with her business and life partner Sourav Mondal. She started Ssoftoons with her husband Sourav Mondal in Howrah, West Bengal, and after a decade the company was very successful in the regional market. To get a large portion of the market share, she planned not to sell the IP but to retain it and this came to the existence of her Youtube channels. Which are running successfully with billions of views and millions of subscribers. Ssoftoons wanted to have its presence in the National market. She moved to Mumbai with Sourav and two kids (Konishko and Darsh) to enter the National Market, where she pitched projects to many National Channels and succeeded to break the ice with one of them (Paapometer in Sony YAY!). After delivering some successful projects, she is currently working in association with Disney India.

Her current position is COO at Ssoftoons, where she undertakes planning and execution to keep the flow running smoothly. She loves to read books related to management and leadership and Investment in the Global & National Market.

Vinayan is the CEO of Prayan Animation Studio, a leading animation and content development company based in Technopark, Kerala, India. With a deep passion for storytelling and a commitment to creative excellence, he has spearheaded numerous successful animation projects, ranging from preschool series to action-packed adventures.

Under his leadership, Prayan Animation Studio has become known for its innovation and high-quality productions, catering to a global audience. The studio's diverse portfolio includes original content that emphasises environmental awareness, cultural heritage, and imaginative storytelling.

With a proven track record of delivering captivating content, Vinayan continues to push the boundaries of animation, making significant contributions to the industry both in India and worldwide.

Vinayan is the CEO of Prayan Animation Studio, a leading animation and content development company based in Technopark, Kerala, India. With a deep passion for storytelling and a commitment to creative excellence, he has spearheaded numerous successful animation projects, ranging from preschool series to action-packed adventures.

Under his leadership, Prayan Animation Studio has become known for its innovation and high-quality productions, catering to a global audience. The studio's diverse portfolio includes original content that emphasises environmental awareness, cultural heritage, and imaginative storytelling.

With a proven track record of delivering captivating content, Vinayan continues to push the boundaries of animation, making significant contributions to the industry both in India and worldwide.

With over 25 years of experience in the animation and visual effects industry, Anand has worked with renowned studios on many award-winning projects. Having been a Technical Director for the longest time in his career, he is known to handle high-end tech-creative challenges adroitly, with no production puzzle being too problematic to solve. Being a visionary he has been instrumental in building philmCGI as one of the most reputed studios today and also looks after the overall day-to-day operations of the studio.

Vinoth is the Founder and CEO of ChuChu TV Studios, as well as the Music Director and Creative Director at ChuChu TV. Their network of YouTube channels is focused on creating content for kids and has millions of subscribers and billions of views.

Having grown up with a passion for music and coming from a family background in media, his team and he produce animated educational entertainment content for children aged 0-6. ChuChu TV is one of the leading YouTube channels in the kids and family entertainment category, and it ranks among the top 15 most-watched channels globally.

As of July 2023, the ChuChu TV Family of Channels has over 170 million subscribers and 90 billion views. Their goal is to continue producing high-quality and safe content for kids worldwide and to reach one billion subscribers in the near future.

With over 24 years in the animation industry, Ashish has honed his expertise in both creative production and business strategy. Beginning as a Line Producer, his international experience has broadened his industry perspective. While animation remains his core strength, he has also ventured into visual effects. Currently, as CEO of Hi-Tech Animation, he is focused on driving business growth, expanding the studio’s global footprint by securing top talent, and establishing strategic partnerships to position their studio at the forefront of the international market.

Uttam Pal Singh has been in the kids content and animation industry for almost 20 years and has contributed to it in a 360-degree manner. From animation to design to direction and producing several award-winning television series, shorts, commercials, campaigns to now heading entertainment channels – Cartoon Network, POGO and Discovery Kids.

On his journey he has worked with leading broadcasters, advertising agencies and brands like - The Walt Disney Company, Channel [V], MTV, Star TV, Hungama TV, O&M, Leo Burnette, McDonald’s and Future Group.

He is the creative vision behind the successful launch of very popular Bollywood IPs ‘Little Singham’ and ‘Fukrey Boyzzz’ on Discovery Kids.

Manu has over 25 years of experience in Integrated Marketing Communication, Brand Management, Direct marketing, Public Relations, E-Commerce, and Digital Media. Having worked on both sides i.e: Marketing communication agencies and with Corporate clients, having developed overall brand and communication strategies and implemented Integrated marketing plans for blue chip Brands, in E-commerce, Hospitality, IT & Telecom, Oil & Gas, FMCG, Automobile, BFSI, NGO's, Education and Entertainment Industries.

Currently heads Marketing and Corporate Communications for Hero Electric Vehicles. His past experience has been with UTStarcom India as Head-Marketing for India and South Asia, with Bharti Airtel Ltd. as Head-Brand Communications for Enterprise Services BU. He has also worked with Chevron Texaco as Brand Manager for Lubricants, and with Result McCann/Solutions Integrated Marketing services, working on brands like, Coke, Shell, Motorola, Channel V, MTV, Intel, Microsoft, Standard Chartered Bank, Gillette, Oxfam, Save the Children, Sony, ESPN, Yamaha etc. and created and implemented 360 degree marketing programs for these clients.

His hobbies are sports, photography, reading and he is an avid wildlife enthusiast.

Arpit Dubey is the co-founder and CEO of Kayra Animation, where he seamlessly integrates his passion for animation with a strategic approach to startup growth. Arpit's expertise in animation pipeline optimisation has been pivotal in building the company from the ground up and achieving a cash-positive status. His exceptional ability to forge and maintain strong client relationships spans North America, Europe, Latin America, and Australia. With a solid background in sales and an unwavering commitment to continuous learning, Arpit is dedicated to driving innovation and sustaining growth at Kayra Animation.

He is a Managing Committee Member at Media and Entertainment Association of India (MEAI) and Department Secretary for International Representation and Relations at AVGC-XR Association of Madhya Pradesh.

Rejy Jose Parappuram is responsible for managing and expanding the global network of clients, partners, and alliances for Toonz Media Group, a leading media conglomerate. His core competencies include business development, client engagement, project allocation,negotiation and relationship management.

Rejy is passionate about creating and fostering long-term relationships with diverse and influential stakeholders in the animation, visual effects, gaming, comics and the XR industry, and delivering high-quality and innovative solutions that meet their needs and expectations.

As a Global Vice-President of production at 88 Pictures, Rakesh is responsible for managing day to day production on floor. Managing clients and maintaining the deliveries by use of the accurate project planning, optimum utilization of resources and partnering with technology and technocrats is Rakesh’s forte.

Rakesh comes with a deep understanding and experience of hands on production. In his career span of more than 10 years in Indian CGI space, he has been part of many successful TV shows, DVDs and feature films. Rakesh has spent a majority of his production time at DreamWorks Dedicated Unit and has worked on some of the well-known feature films such as Puss in Boots, How to Train you Dragon, Penguins of Madagascar, Peabody and Sherman under the banner of DreamWorks Animation.

At 88 Pictures, being the first hire, Rakesh has been instrumental in building the teams across departments and implementing overall production management and shotgun at 88 Pictures.

Apart from his production job when he is not making production schedules and delivering the shows, Rakesh loves to get his hands on a keyboard and beats those blues away.

Prabhakar has over 25 years of experience in the animation industry and played a significant role in helping clients like Nickelodeon and DreamWorks TV and more gain a foothold in India. He has contributed to the creation of numerous globally recognised animated television programs, including several Emmy-winning series. He has produced more than 50 episodic television series from assets to animation for major studios that include DreamWorks Television, Netflix, Nickelodeon, Disney, Method Films, and Brown Bag. Some of the shows he delivered include ‘Mickey Mouse Club House,' 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,' 'Fast & Furious,' 'All Hail King Julien,' 'Puss in,' 'Boss Baby,' 'Kung Fu Panda,' 'SpongeBob SquarePants,' 'We Dragons,' 'Robert and Monster,' 'Star Trek Prodigies,'' and 'Spirit.'

Well-known for his outstanding leadership, he has led teams of more than a thousand creative people and made a substantial contribution to the industry.

A strategic Change Agent, Brand Futurist and Media Marketing Specialist with a decade of Marketing, Media and Branding experience. Passionate about managing ATL, BTL and Digital Media for brands across categories. Recognized for empowering brands to engage, delight and impact audiences and enabling brand value, market share and revenue enhancement.

Leveraging creativity and tech-savviness to deliver effective and innovative 360 degree campaigns that are data driven with performance tracking and insightful analysis as well as better understand consumers and improve conversions. Experienced in managing traditional, unconventional and digital businesses in terms of media planning and buying as well as developing and driving strategy for various brands. Effective in managing media channels and communications activities, developing, integrating & implementing media marketing and PR activities and ensuring optimum positioning of brands and organisations.

Prasad is the head of studio for DNEG India, one of the world's leading visual effects, animation and stereo conversion companies for feature film and television. Prasad collaborates extensively with DNEG's management, leadership, and core teams to lead and mentor its crews across India by sharing his wealth of experience, knowledge, and ideas.

Prasad has been at the forefront of producing VFX and animation for over two decades. He has played key roles in establishing and growing artist-friendly studios across Asia. Over the years, Prasad has played a crucial role in establishing and collaboratively developing DNEG’s VFX and Animation pipelines in India, while also overseeing the delivery of India teams on all of its most successful VFX projects, including our Oscar-winners ‘Blade Runner 2049,' 'First Man,' 'Tenet,' and 'Dune.'

Starting as Company Secretary then to CFO to COO and now CEO, Tejonidhi Bhandare is about to complete 16 years at Reliance Animation Studio with overall experience of more than 26 years. He has played important role in shows like Little Krishna, Krishna aur Kans, Shaktimaan and BIG Bees Jr. With his extensive experience in conceptualising and implementing Financial Procedures, Maintenance and finalisation of Accounts, Audits, Fund Management, Compliances and Profit Monitoring, he has successfully turned around the business into profits with his strategic planning and futuristic approach. Getting Bollywood to Animation was his master stroke which started with conceptualising Little Singham and then going on to Golmaal Jr. and Smashing Simmba.

Shakir Ebrahim is the chief storyteller of the YouTube channel Bisbo. His hunger for news and love for movies led him to create a unique parallel newsverse in Bisbo, where he combines the genre of news with the art of storytelling using animation. He has been a serial entrepreneur, primarily in the media space, while his passion for tennis almost veered him away into sports management.

Chaitanya has had a multi-faceted two-decade career in the Film, Media & Entertainment industry. He is currently at Whistling Woods International - India’s premier Film & Creative Arts institute, in the capacity of Vice President & Business Head. He also serves as the Chief Technology Officer for the institute and heads its Emerging Media initiatives.

Over the past 15+ years at Whistling Woods, he has worked towards strengthening India’s Media & Entertainment education landscape in general and Film Education in particular, both in higher education and in India’s K-12 education. He has also spearheaded Whistling Woods’ initiatives to work with Emerging Technologies to develop curriculum around them and then introduce them into the education at Whistling Woods International.

He currently serves on several public policy and innovation bodies like India’s Media & Entertainment Skills Council (MESC) and as CEO of India’s National Centre of Excellence for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming & Comics, established by the Government of India. He also serves on the Board of Governors of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE).

He has written extensively in Indian and global media outlets and is an active speaker at global seminars and conferences on the Filmed Entertainment Industry, with special focus on Education and Technology. He is also a strategic advisor to several startups in the M&E, Technology & Education verticals.

An art director, Venky’s reputation for quality and unconventional style gets him into the high society of Hollywood’s brightest. His credits over the years include Beware the Batman, Penguins of Madagascar, Avengers 4D, Shimmer and Shine, Lego Scooby Doo, Lego Hidden side, and many more. He currently runs Zebu as co-founder and Art director, leading the creatives in many upcoming high profile projects, including the hit new series, Lego Dreamzzz, streaming on all major OTT platforms. He is also working (under the wraps) on a big feature film set to be out in late 2024.

Sarath Bhooshan is a visionary leader in the entrepreneurial landscape, seamlessly integrating his IT and finance expertise into the realm of AVGC-XR sector and kids’ entertainment industry. Transitioning from a Vice President role at Indiabulls Securities LTD to Founder & CEO of Bhooshans Junior, he epitomises innovation and strategic prowess. Leveraging his financial background, He leads successful animation projects, collaborating with industry giants and understanding global kids’ entertainment and AVGC-XR dynamics. Establishing Oseye Media Technologies Private Ltd in 2013, he delves into the nuances of the Indian AVGC-XR sector. Identifying a need for Indian original content , he founded ‘Bhooshans Junior’- India’s First Kids Tech-Tainment Company in 2019, aiming to revolutionise the sector by blending entertainment with technology for holistic child development.

Sylvester Fonseca is an accomplished cinematographer hailing from India. He graduated from the prestigious Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in 2013 and has since made his mark in the film industry.

His impressive body of work includes the 2023 film 'Kennedy' which premiered at the 76th annual Cannes Film Festival. This film is the culmination of a long-standing collaboration with one of India's finest storytellers, Anurag Kashyap. In addition, he has worked on other notable projects such as Netflix's 'Sacred Games,' 'Manmarziyaan' and 'Choked.' Sylvester's debut feature film 'Island City' premiered at the 72nd Venice International Film Festival and received critical acclaim upon its release.

Apart from his success in the film industry, he is also a prolific contributor to the advertising industry, collaborating with leading directors to create some of the most memorable and successful advertising campaigns.

His exceptional talent, technical expertise, and creative vision have earned him a reputation as one of India's most promising cinematographers. His passion for storytelling and dedication to his craft continue to inspire and captivate audiences around the world.

Kanchi Kanani is a Creative Director with over 10 years of experience in animation and VFX, having studied at the Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology in Bengaluru. At philmCGI, she oversees all creative aspects and client communication for feature films, series, and title sequences. Some of her past projects include working with well established production houses as well as OTT channels. Her sharp wit and talent for storytelling infuse each project with joy. Kanchi thrives on challenges and embraces offbeat projects, tackling them with confidence and enthusiasm. When she's not crafting visual masterpieces, she dreams of far-off destinations or hones her skills at the boxing gym.

Adi heads Cosmos Maya's international division. He brings with him a breadth and depth of experience of ~ 2.5 decades in the Animation / CG Industry being part of companies such as Tata Elxsi, DreamWorks Animation (India), Xentrix Studios and Zebu. He brings with him a highly agile management style with a track record of running studios operating at the highest level of quality as well as highest volume of delivery in an extremely fast paced environment. He has served as Honorary Secretary of ABAI during which he helped the Government of Karnataka draft the AVGC 2.0 policy, served as a Conference Director of Bengaluru GAFX and spearheaded Bengaluru's bid to host Siggraph Asia.

Srinivas Raju is a thought leader in the emerging technology areas with a career spanning over 24 years across a diverse spectrum of industries, including IT, automotive, semiconductors, and AVCG. In an illustrious career spanning over 2 decades, he has a remarkable track record of building high-performing teams and inspiring the team to achieve exceptional outcomes. He has consistently demonstrated the ability to foster collaboration, drive innovation, and cultivate a winning company culture.

He is the CEO of Hornbill Studios, and stands as a beacon of creativity and excellence. Renowned as one of the foremost studios catering to global customers, Hornbill Studios has etched its mark through a dynamic array of offerings that encompass services, IP development, and co-production.

Rajiv Chilaka’s entrepreneurial journey started with a vision of creating an animation studio at par with the best in the world. This took shape with the establishment of Green Gold Animation in 2004 when the industry was still in its nascent stages. Braving the odds, he created and brought India’s most loved and iconic character, Chhota Bheem, to life.

Today, as the CEO of the Green Gold Group, he leads a team of over 800 artists who have produced over 10 shows, 700 episodes, 80+ TV movies and six feature films in the last decade itself. Green Gold Group’s footprint spans across television, movies, digital and L&M reaching an audience of over 100 million kids globally.

Green Gold Animation has won many accolades and achieved many milestones, the most recent being the creator of India’s first Netflix original animation series, ‘Mighty Little Bheem.’

Rajiv Chilaka’s entrepreneurial journey started with a vision of creating an animation studio at par with the best in the world. This took shape with the establishment of Green Gold Animation in 2004 when the industry was still in its nascent stages. Braving the odds, he created and brought India’s most loved and iconic character, Chhota Bheem, to life.

Today, as the CEO of the Green Gold Group, he leads a team of over 800 artists who have produced over 10 shows, 700 episodes, 80+ TV movies and six feature films in the last decade itself. Green Gold Group’s footprint spans across television, movies, digital and L&M reaching an audience of over 100 million kids globally.

Green Gold Animation has won many accolades and achieved many milestones, the most recent being the creator of India’s first Netflix original animation series, ‘Mighty Little Bheem.’

David McGavran joined Maxon in July, 2018. The internationally experienced executive comes with extensive expertise and a large network in the media and entertainment industry, having worked 20 years in different roles at Adobe. His last position at Adobe Systems was Director of Engineering – Professional Audio and Video. David has considerable experience working with broadcasters, post production houses and film editors around the world.

Anushree Rauta is a distinguished legal professional leading the Media and Entertainment Practice at ANM Global, one of India’s top tier law firms. With 14+ years of experience in the legal field and 15+ awards, she is recognised as one of the leading media and entertainment lawyers in India. Anushree is also the founder of Iprmentlaw, India’s leading media and entertainment law blog. She represents some of the prominent production houses, OTT platforms, broadcasters, studios, celebrities, e-commerce platforms, AI platforms, animation companies and event organisers.

Part of Indian Television Group Anil Wanvari, is the founder, CEO and editor-in-chief of the Indiantelevision.com group. He has spent more than 37 years in the media industry and is considered India's foremost analyst, consultant and catalyst for the media sector. It achieves this through its various B2B and B2C portals: indiantelevision.com (for the cable, satellite, OTT, production, advertising, marketing, media industries), tellychakkar.com (TV show and actor news for TV fans), AnimationXpress.com (for the VFX, comics, gaming, and animation segments) and radionandmusic.com (for the FM radio, digital music and music industry).

He is also a well known Television/Digital Producer known for producing The Indian Telly Awards for the last 16 years and oodles of digital content. It engages with industry by organizing thought leadership forums under its various verticals: Video and Broadband Summit, RadioConnex Awards, News Television Awards ,BrandVid, The Content Hub, Kids Animation & More, etc.

Arjun Madhavan is the Chief Executive Officer of Assemblage Entertainment, India’s premium CGI animation house. As a new-gen entrepreneur, he has played a pivotal role in shaping Assemblage over the past decade, working with a global marquee clientele and producing premium and world-class animated content across multi-platforms, genres, and formats. He is a firm believer in the power of people and partnerships and is all about investing in talent who will keep the studio and industry moving forward.

As a London School of Economics graduate, Arjun began his career as an investment banker with Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank in London. He was also part of the commercial, strategy, and business development team at Genel Energy, under the tutelage of former BP CEO Tony Hayward and Nat Rothschild.

He was featured in Forbes Magazine’s 30 Under 30 Asia list in the media and entertainment category. He was also awarded the “AVGC 40 Under 40” title, initiated by AnimationXpress India, to recognise the finest 40 individuals from the Indian AVGC ecosystem.

Ashish Kulkarni embarked on his journey in the field of arts and media in 1995, and is the founder of Punnaryug Artvision. Ashish is also the Chairman of the AVGC-XR forum at FICCI and MCCIA, and has been persistently engaged with AVGC-XR policy makers in India at central and state levels.

In the last two decades, Ashish's push for state level policies inclusive of AVGC-XR skill development and creation has allowed for their successful implementation under IT ITES policies or independent AVGC policies in the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, AP, Telangana, Goa, MP, Chattisgarh, West Bengal, TN and Kerala. Moreover, states like UP, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat are actively considering the formation of AVGC policies to promote creative skill development and job creation.

Manoj A Menon is an Emmy-award nominated designer with 20+ years of experience in animation, theme park design, visual development/concept art, graphic novel, gaming and AR/VR experience. He is currently working with Mikros Animation (Feature Division) as the Creative Director of Bengaluru Studio. In his new role, Manoj handles all creative aspects and client communication for feature and long format episodic production from end-to-end, working with world-renowned animation production houses and networks.

Some of his past projects include working with EA Sports, Ubisoft, Walt Disney Television, Wild Canary Studios, DreamWorks TV, Nickelodeon and Amazon to name a few.

Manoj’s passion lies in creating worlds and designing characters that tell compelling stories. He is based out of Bangalore/India and spends time with his wife and two kids and zillions of imaginary friends that sneak out of his sketchbook!

Manoj Mishra is a seasoned professional with a remarkable record of accomplishment in the media and animation industry, particularly in kid's; entertainment. With over 25 years of experience, Manoj has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and a talent for building and expanding creative businesses and diverse teams worldwide. His expertise spans the entire value chain, from IP (intellectual properties) development to monetization through various channels like Digital Media, Broadcast, and OTT platforms.

Having previously served as the Chief Operating Officer of DQ group and held key positions in IP development, co-production, and content acquisition for a Al Jazeera children's channel in the Middle East, Manoj has honed his skills as a strategic thinker and visionary leader. Currently, as the CEO and Managing Director of Powerkids Entertainment, he assumes full responsibility for company strategy, team management, partner relations, and achieving favorable financial results.

One of Manoj Mishra's standout accomplishments is his role as an executive producer for well-loved iconic IPs such as "Dragonero", “Young achievers”, “Martin Mystere” "Akira and Mowgli", "Super Hercules," "Jungle Book Season 4"; “Robinhood Season 2”,; "Cuddle Cubbies"; Todally Awesome and many more in the pipeline. His creative vision and effective leadership have been instrumental in bringing these engaging series to life, captivating audiences, and delivering memorable entertainment experiences.

Manoj's exceptional industry knowledge, combined with his ability to drive growth and achieve results, sets him apart as an invaluable asset in the media and animation sector.

Starting with a small team and growing to several hundred artists across Toronto, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, Milind D. Shinde founded 88 Pictures in 2016 after spending years at DreamWorks Animation India and China unit. A doyen in the animation industry, he spent most of his animation career with DreamWorks. He was part of the core team instrumental in setting up and development of the production infrastructure at the India DreamWorks and Oriental DreamWorks in Shanghai, China.

In his robust body of experience, Milind has been a part of few Oscar-nominated feature films at DreamWorks and played an important role in the production of most of its successful movie franchises such as ‘Madagascar,’ ‘Kung Fu Panda,’ ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ among others.

Through his astute management skills, unflinching vision and a zeal for quality and creativity, he has successfully established 88 Pictures as a key player in the arena of animation.

A distinguished figure and a much-admired thought leader in the media and entertainment industry, P. Jayakumar has spearheaded the success story of one of Asia’s most pioneering animation studios – Toonz Media Group. Joining Toonz as the Chief Finance Officer, Mr Jayakumar went on to take additional responsibility as the COO before taking up the reins of the organisation as CEO in 2003. Under his inspirational leadership, Toonz expanded from its home ground in India, growing its global footprint, diversifying business, and making strategic international acquisitions, such as the Spanish distribution company Imira and Ireland-based studio Telegael. Today, Toonz has emerged as a global force in kids and family entertainment, and a one-stop-shop for content production, distribution, and digital media exploitation.

Jayakumar is a member of the prestigious International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the National Committee on Media and Entertainment of CII; the Entertainment Committee of FICCI and Governing Council of MESC. He is also the Co-Chairman of the National Council on Animation & Sports Technology of ASSOCHAM, as well as president of Society of AVGC Institutions in Kerala (SAIK). He has also been the jury member at the elite Emmy Award panel.

As DNEG Animation’s Creative Director, Philippe Gluckman oversees the creative output of the DNEG Animation teams in India, working closely with the global management team to ensure that the studio’s work continues to be delivered to the highest levels of quality. Additionally, he focuses on the artist experience, facilitating collaboration, communication, and innovation, while maintaining and enhancing the supportive environment that DNEG Animation has created for its artists in India.

Philippe has over 30 years of experience in the animation industry, including 15 years at DreamWorks Animation in California, where he worked as a VFX Supervisor on projects such as ‘Antz,’ ‘Shrek’ and ‘Madagascar’ and many others. In 2008, Philippe relocated to India to serve as Creative Director of DreamWorks Dedicated Unit in Bengaluru. In this role, Philippe oversaw the creative and technical execution of animated movies such as ‘Penguins of Madagascar,’ ‘Puss in Boots,’ ‘Trolls’ and ‘Boss Baby,’ taking responsibility for the visual quality and execution of the work produced by the studio whilst growing, managing and mentoring its team of animation artists.

Philippe studied graphic arts at the École Nationale D’Arts Appliqués, Paris. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, and the Visual Effects Society.

With a seasoned eye for detail and a knack for breathing life into imaginative concepts, Philippe's VFX and animation expertise make him a driving force behind every project he touches. His creative spark ignites fresh ideas, seamlessly bridging the gap between a filmmaker's vision and its on-screen execution.

Rajat has been in the video game industry for 26 years and worked on marquee games like ‘Resident Evil,’ ‘Battlefield,’ ‘Final Fantasy,’ ‘SGS’ and many more. Always at the forefront of technology, he has done pioneering work in cross platform multiplayer games, VR games and now blockchain-based Metaverse. Rajat is one of those successful entrepreneurs who could take his gaming experience to the theme park industry and built some of the most popular theme parks across the world.

Sonam Shekhawat is a professional dreamer who owns the biggest stash of Goofballucinogen and trips on cartoons!

Her childhood was spent watching cartoons, teenage on learning how to make them, and her adult life so far has been spent on creating cartoons! And she wants to trip more, hell ya!

All the dreams, imaginary doodles, goofballistic thoughts get poured out of Sonam in the form of stories, concept bibles, scripts, poems and songs for cartoons. They seem to be liked by her many cool folks at DreamWorks.TV, Netflix, Disney, CN, Pogo, Nickelodeon, ZQ and Discovery Kids.

So far, Sonam has had the joy of working on some really popular series - ‘Little Singham,’ ‘Chhota Bheem,’ ‘Mighty Raju,’ ‘All Hail King Julien,’ ‘Chorr Police,’ ‘Luv-Kushh,’ ‘Shaktimaan Animated,’ ‘Arjun,’ ‘Bandbudh & Budbak,’ ‘Kisna,’ ‘Life Hacks For Kids,’ ‘Edo,’ ‘Little Garuda’ and so on. Sonam has had good fun working with different creative teams. But nobody seems to follow her wonderful gibberish language, so she writes in English and Hindi.