New Delhi: The third edition of the Creative Economy Forum (CEF), held at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) in Janpath, New Delhi, convened India’s foremost creative thinkers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and innovators to outline a vision for “Creative Bharat,” an initiative focused on economic development driven by culture, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The two-day event, which commenced on Friday and concluded on Saturday, received support from the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Ministry of Tourism, and the AI Impact Summit, an initiative by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Serving as a flagship platform, the event celebrated and advanced India’s creative and cultural industries.
CEF 2025 featured high-level dialogues, keynotes, and sessions that examined the intersections of film, fashion, art, design, technology, and policy. This year’s theme, “Building Creative Bharat,” emphasized the convergence of creativity, business, and policy in contributing to India’s growth narrative. CEF Founder and film director-producer Supriya Suri stated that the forum is built on three pillars: policy, business, and creativity, aiming to highlight the vast commercial and cultural potential of India’s creative sector. “Through CEF, we aim to emphasize the business aspect of creativity, helping people recognize its limitless potential and India’s rising status as a global hub for the creative economy,” she remarked.
Actor, producer, and entrepreneur Harman Baweja echoed this sentiment, asserting that India’s creative sector is poised for exponential growth. “The journey of today’s creative entrepreneurs mirrors that of startups — we are witnessing creators develop intellectual properties with genuine commercial value. The Creative Economy Forum serves as an ideal platform for sharing, learning, and collaborating on this new wave of creative entrepreneurship,” he noted. From a corporate angle, Avarna Jain, Chairperson of RPSG Group, referred to India’s creative economy as a “force multiplier” for innovation, cultural diplomacy, and job creation. “Events like CEF foster significant dialogues that promote both recognition and investment in the creative industries,” she added.
This year’s forum featured an impressive array of leaders and pioneers from various sectors, including Sanjeev Sanyal from the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister; Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary of IGNCA; Rajat Sharma, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of India TV; Sanjay Nigam, Founder of the Fashion Entrepreneur Fund; Amish Tripathi, author and broadcaster; Dr. Anurag Batra, Editor-in-Chief of Businessworld; Shefalee Vasudev, Editor-in-Chief of The Voice of Fashion; Rina Dhaka, fashion designer; and Charuvi Agrawal, Founder of Charuvi Design Labs. International figures such as Gayle McPherson and Marie McPartlin, Director of Somerset House Studios in the UK, also contributed, offering a global perspective on India’s expanding creative landscape.
The Creative Economy Forum 2025 featured a series of thought-provoking discussions with prominent voices from India’s creative scene. Sessions such as “The Road to IPO for India’s Creative Businesses” with Harman Baweja and “Creative Capital: Investing in India’s Design Future” with Sanjay Nigam delved into how creative ventures can grow and attract funding. “Aap Ki Adalat: The Journey of India’s Iconic Non-Fiction IP” with Rajat Sharma revisited the success of India’s landmark talk show, while “Building Trust in Creative Bharat: Rights, Reputation & Recognition” included Justice Tej Karia of the Delhi High Court addressing issues of rights and acknowledgment.
Other sessions like “Crafting Commerce” with Rina Dhaka, Charu Shankar, and Shefalee Vasudev, and “Pop Culture Merch & Building Indian Labubu Dolls” with Nitesh Rohit and Charuvi Agrawal, moderated by Aleena Qureshi, highlighted the growing nexus of creativity and business. Additionally, “Cinema Theatre Economics” with Akshay Rathie and Deepak Kumar Sharma, moderated by Uday Pratap Singh, examined the changing landscape of film exhibition. The forum concluded with “Empowering the Creative Economy: AI in Action,” showcasing innovators propelling India’s creative tech and AI ecosystem forward. The Creative Economy Forum continues to establish itself as a vibrant platform where art intersects with enterprise.
As India’s creative industries broaden their global influence, the discussions and collaborations from CEF 2025 aim to accelerate investment, innovation, and international partnerships that will shape the next decade of Creative Bharat.
