Building Creative Bharat: Inside the Creative Economy Forum 2025
The third edition of the Creative Economy Forum (CEF) opened at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), bringing together India’s leading thinkers, storytellers, entrepreneurs, artists, and policymakers — all united by one shared vision: Building Creative Bharat.
Supported by the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Ministry of Tourism, and the AI Impact Summit under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, this two-day forum celebrated the growing power of India’s creative and cultural industries — and the business of imagination itself.
With IGNCA as the Venue Partner, CEF 2025 unfolded through high-level dialogues, keynotes, and spotlight sessions exploring how creativity meets commerce across film, fashion, design, technology, and policy.
The Spirit of Creative Bharat
“Our third season celebrates the theme Building Creative Bharat,” said Supriya Suri, Founder of the Creative Economy Forum, Film Director, and Producer. “The forum was founded on the pillars of policy, business, and creativity — and this year, we continue to deepen those connections. CEF was envisioned to highlight the business of creativity, helping people recognize its infinite potential and India’s growing role as a global hub for creative enterprise.”
Actor and entrepreneur Harman Baweja added, “India’s creative sector is poised for exponential growth. The journey of today’s creators mirrors that of startups — they’re building intellectual properties with real commercial value. The Creative Economy Forum is the perfect stage to share, learn, and collaborate on this new wave of creative entrepreneurship.”
Avarna Jain, Chairperson of RPSG Group, noted, “India’s creative economy is a force multiplier for innovation, cultural diplomacy, and job creation. Platforms like CEF create meaningful dialogue that leads to recognition, investment, and real growth.”
Distinguished Voices
This year’s forum brought together an exceptional mix of leaders and innovators, including:
Sanjeev Sanyal, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister
Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary, IGNCA, Ministry of Culture
Rajat Sharma, Chairman & Editor-in-Chief, India TV
Harman Baweja, Actor, Producer & Entrepreneur
Avarna Jain, Chairperson, RPSG Group
Sanjay Nigam, Founder, Fashion Entrepreneur Fund
Amish Tripathi, Author & Broadcaster
Dr. Anurag Batra, Editor-in-Chief, Businessworld
Shefalee Vasudev, Editor-in-Chief, The Voice of Fashion
Rina Dhaka, Fashion Designer
Rajiv Chilaka, Founder, Green Gold Animation
Charuvi Agrawal, Founder, Charuvi Design Labs
Adding an international perspective were Gayle McPherson and Marie McPartlin from Somerset House Studios, UK.
Conversations that Shape the Future
The forum’s sessions sparked cross-industry dialogue — from entrepreneurship and design investment to intellectual property and creative technology. Key highlights included:
The Road to IPO for India’s Creative Businesses with Harman Baweja
Creative Capital: Investing in India’s Design Future with Sanjay Nigam
Aap Ki Adalat: The Journey of India’s Iconic Non-Fiction IP with Rajat Sharma
Building Trust in Creative Bharat: Rights, Reputation & Recognition with Hon’ble Justice Tej Karia
Crafting Commerce: The Business Journeys of Creative Professionals featuring Rina Dhaka, Charu Shankar, and Shefalee Vasudev
Pop Culture Merch & Building Indian Labubu Dolls featuring Nitesh Rohit, Rajiv Chilaka, and Charuvi Agrawal
Cinema Theatre Economics: Encouraging Business Growth and the Future of Screens with Akshay Rathie and Deepak Kumar Sharma
Empowering the Creative Economy: AI in Action — spotlighting leaders redefining India’s creative tech landscape
In Conversation with Supriya Suri
At the heart of the forum stands filmmaker and entrepreneur Supriya Suri, whose vision unites culture, commerce, and creativity. With a background in film direction and over 15 years as an entrepreneur, she has built the Creative Economy Forum into a national platform for creative dialogue and collaboration.
How did the idea of the Creative Economy Forum first take shape?
It came from my own journey. I’ve studied film direction and worked as an entrepreneur for 15 years. During the G20, I wanted to start a conversation about the business of creativity — something I’ve lived and believed in. My background made me realize that while we teach people how to create art, we rarely teach them how to build a sustainable creative business. That gap inspired me to start the forum, which began as the Culture 20 Creative Economy Forum. Today, as we reach Season 3, it has become a platform for dialogue on creativity, policy, and impact.
What were some of the challenges and learnings along the way?
When we started, there was no precedent for a forum like this. Each creative field — film, design, music, digital — had its own rhythm. Bringing them together under one roof was both challenging and fascinating.
Our first year focused on individual verticals. From the second year onward, we mixed disciplines — bringing together people from film, music, art, and gaming for balanced panels. This year, we expanded to a two-day format and introduced awards to celebrate creative entrepreneurs. Even defining award categories was a learning process, as there’s no fixed template for the creative economy.
And what’s next for the Creative Economy Forum?
Season Four is next. We begin planning at least nine months in advance. Alongside that, we’re hosting smaller “side-pocket” events through the year. We recently collaborated with the WAVES India Summit and plan to partner with more national conferences to curate sessions around the creative economy. The goal is to keep the conversation alive — not just annually, but year-round.
Towards a New Creative Future
At its core, the Creative Economy Forum is more than an event — it is a movement that positions creativity as India’s next major economic force.
As discussions flowed through IGNCA’s sunlit courtyards and halls, one idea resonated across every dialogue: India’s creative future will be built through collaboration — where art, technology, and enterprise speak the same language of innovation.
