Matribhumi Samachar English
Hyderabad, June 2026: The inaugural edition of the Creative Economy Conclave 2026, held today at HITEX Exhibition Centre, Hall 4, Hyderabad, brought together some of India’s most influential voices from the events, entertainment, media, tourism, creator, and cultural sectors to discuss the growing importance of the Orange Economy and its role in shaping India’s future.
Organized as part of the World Events Economy Week (WEEW), the conclave served as a first-of-its-kind platform for industry leaders, policymakers, creators, artists, entrepreneurs, and stakeholders to explore opportunities within the rapidly evolving creative economy ecosystem.
The event witnessed participation from prominent industry leaders including Dr. Annurag Batra, Chairman & Editor-in-Chief, BW BusinessWorld; Sabbas Joseph, Co-Founder, Wizcraft International Entertainment; Shaju Ignatius, CEO, Laqshya Media; Harinder Singh (Harry), Chairman, Percept Live; along with leading artists and creators including Smita V, singer, entrepreneur and cultural ambassador, and Gitikka Ganju Dhar, one of India’s most celebrated event hosts and communication experts.
Representing the Government of Telangana, Mr. Sriram Karri, Director Media and Communication, Govt of Telangana, highlighted the State’s commitment towards strengthening tourism, events, culture, and experience-led economic development. He shared the government’s vision to position Telangana as one of India’s leading destinations for tourism, conventions, live events, cultural experiences, and creative enterprises through a series of progressive initiatives and infrastructure-led interventions.
Sri Sriram Karri, Director (Media and Communications), Govt. of Telangana; in his address said, The three important aspects of Building Brand Hyderabad and its connection with events are these: people moved from the forests and created villages and tribal hamlets, but man created cities. The creation of cities is a defiant statement of humanity.
Villages and cities represent two states of mind in a paradigm. We need to understand this if we want to build the brand of the city and take events to the next level. Bring events to the city that can capture the imagination of the world. Do you, as event managers, have the wherewithal to create an event matching the FIFA World Cup in Hyderabad, one that people across the world will watch live? The Government’s vision is not only to make it possible but also to work with you to make it happen.
If people from across the country and the world are to come to Hyderabad, the city must have the capacity to constantly create opportunities and empowerment. How do we fulfil the aspirations needed to achieve this? What makes a city great? Two things define it: monuments and events. Do we have a great marathon that the whole world knows about, or a music event in Hyderabad that people travel from across the world to attend? Do we have a vibrant theatre culture or a set of sporting events known around the world? The answer is no to all of these. Is it possible to have them? Yes.
Here are two challenges. The first is the underlying health of the city. Recently, at NITI Aayog, Shri Revanth raised an interesting analogy about the relationship between human resources and urban development. The highest development of human potential is possible through urban development because people achieve their greatest successes in cities. Innovation does not happen in villages; it happens in cities. Idea creation and wealth creation happen in cities. However, for a city to reach its optimal level of life, experience, character and culture, it needs strong municipal health.
There is an urgent need for Indian cities, as part of brand building, to improve urban health. Once that is achieved, opportunities naturally arise. Traffic congestion, pollution, flooding during monsoons and water shortages are challenges faced by our metros, but these issues are being addressed on a war footing in Hyderabad.
The second aspect is the constant creation of new monuments and infrastructure—sports stadiums, theatres and convention centres. Great cities need to grow continuously. We need to shed the mindset of scarcity and build extraordinary assets that create wealth. Do we have the wherewithal in Hyderabad to build the world’s tallest tower, host the world’s best music concerts, or create a football stadium where the world’s best players dream of playing? Can you create one event that will make Hyderabad proud and compel the world to say, “I must go to Hyderabad to be part of this event”? That would be your greatest contribution to the city and its brand.
The time has come to create something so outstanding and extraordinary that everyone will talk about it. Do an event on a scale that has never been seen anywhere in the world. That kind of innovation is both needed and expected.
For Hyderabad to become a truly great city, we need to do three things, which are already being set in motion. First, make Hyderabad climate-resilient so that there are no floods or drinking water shortages, and ensure efficient management of waste, cleanliness and sanitation. Second, ensure that every natural asset—rocks, lakes and rivers—is preserved in its purest and most vibrant form. Third, ensure that the quality of life and air quality are on par with the world’s best.
I believe the time has come for every city to redesign itself in a way that respects nature, because development cannot come at the cost of nature. The new city should be known for its spaces, nature and experiences. It should have a vibrant and buzzing urban life.
It is time to start thinking about an event that will create a buzz across the state, then the country, and ultimately the world. This, I am sure, will create unicorns in the event management space within the next three to four years.
Addressing the gathering, industry leaders unanimously agreed that the Orange Economy is emerging as one of the most significant economic growth engines of the future, powered by creativity, intellectual property, culture, entertainment, technology, experiences, and innovation.
Speaking at the conclave, Sabbas Joseph emphasized that the future belongs to creators, storytellers, and experience designers who can transform ideas into economic value. He noted that creativity is no longer merely an artistic pursuit but a critical economic driver that contributes to jobs, tourism, innovation, and nation-building.
Sharing his perspective on the future of experiences, Harinder Singh (Harry) remarked that live experiences, events, festivals, and cultural gatherings are becoming increasingly central to destination branding, tourism growth, and consumer engagement. He stressed the importance of building globally competitive event ecosystems across Indian cities.
In a special session focused on creators and cultural influence, Smita V and Gitikka Ganju Dhar highlighted how creators, artists, and cultural practitioners are reshaping the way audiences consume content, engage with communities, and influence social and economic change.
One of the key themes emerging from the conclave was the growing convergence between tourism, live events, entertainment, technology, culture, and the creator economy, creating unprecedented opportunities for employment generation, destination development, investment attraction, and global visibility.
The conclave also featured thought-provoking discussions on event-led tourism, music and entertainment economies, creator ecosystems, cultural entrepreneurship, destination branding, intellectual property creation, and the future of live experiences in India.
Participants collectively emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between government, industry, academia, creators, investors, and cultural institutions to establish India as a global leader in the creative economy.
The Creative Economy Conclave concluded with a shared vision of positioning Hyderabad and Telangana as important hubs for innovation, culture, tourism, and live experiences, while reinforcing the role of the Orange Economy as a catalyst for inclusive growth and sustainable development.
The organisers announced that the Creative Economy Conclave will continue to evolve as an annual platform under the umbrella of the World Events Economy Week (WEEW), bringing together stakeholders from across the creative and experience economy ecosystem.
About Creative Economy Conclave
The Creative Economy Conclave is a flagship thought leadership platform dedicated to fostering dialogue, collaboration, and innovation across the Orange Economy sectors, including events, entertainment, tourism, media, arts, culture, design, technology, gaming, music, and the creator economy.
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