The 6th edition of the Shows of India 2026, presented by Hop Events and powered by The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel Delhi, co-powered by Dakshin Stories, District by Zomato, Giant Truss, GIGX, and NESCO Events, in association with Dreamcast, Hookaba, and Eyeconyx, raised the bar for the country’s live entertainment ecosystem with the introduction of several new formats and platforms designed to drive dialogue, business, and recognition across the industry. Held at The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel, the conclave brought together top stakeholders across music, events, experiential marketing, and IP development.
This year, the platform expanded beyond conversations to actionable industry-building initiatives — from idea incubation and deal-making to recognition of excellence.
A key highlight of this year was Lions of Live, a high-impact session focused on bold ideas within the live ecosystem. Led by Mandeep Singh, the platform brought together industry leaders as Lions, including Roshan Abbas, Rahul Ganjoo, Samit Garg, Martin Da Costa, and Alok Jalan, creating a space where ideas were challenged, validated, and shaped for real-world execution.
The platform saw five participants pitch their live entertainment concepts directly to the Lions, with selected ideas receiving funding and mentorship support from the panel. In a surprise participation, Deepak Choudhary and Namit Sharma also took the stage, adding further momentum and visibility to the initiative.
Another major addition was The Big Fight, a debate-style showdown that brought together leading voices from across the value chain. The session featured artist managers including Akul Narula (Shows of India), Alaap Gosher (CEO & Co-Founder – TM Ventures), Dhruv Jagasia (Chief Executive Officer – Big Bad Wolf), Saivivek Machetti (Board of Directors – BTOS), and Vibhor Hasija (Founder – Yours Eventfully), alongside promoters including Ankur Bhargava (Director – Oriole Entertainment), Mohit Bijlani (Co-Founder – Team Innovation), Rajat Uppal (Business Head – BAE (Before Anyone Else), ABP Network), Shaju Ignatius (CEO & Chief Evangelist – Live Events – Laqshya Media Group), and Shoven Shah (Founder & CEO – TribeVibe Entertainment). Moderated by Roshan Abbas, the session delivered a dynamic exchange on power dynamics within the live industry.
The conclave also introduced Sponsorship Marketing Honours, recognising brands and marketers shaping the future of live experiences. The segment celebrated leading brands including Mastercard, HSBC, Diageo, Bacardi, Magic Moments, Kingfisher, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Vero Moda, Mentos, Tuborg, Nissan, Bro Code, Hell Energy, Yes Bank, Simba Beer, H&M, Ajio, Harley-Davidson, Sixfields, Teacher’s, Spotify India, and Lenovo for their contribution to the live entertainment ecosystem, reinforcing the growing importance of brand-led experiential marketing.
A standout highlight of the conclave was the WOW Live Awards 2026, an extension of the prestigious WOW Awards Asia, which marked a defining moment in the evolution of live entertainment recognition. Bringing the spotlight onto excellence across the industry, the platform celebrated the very best in live experiences—honouring innovation, creativity, and execution and recognising the individuals and organisations who continue to push boundaries and create unforgettable moments for audiences.
With a legacy built over the years, the awards have consistently acknowledged pathbreaking work across formats and scales. This year, the WOW Live Awards entered a bold new chapter—bigger, more dynamic, and aligned with the rapidly evolving live entertainment ecosystem.
Across both days, the conclave featured a wide range of sessions covering policy, infrastructure, artist management, monetisation, and global expansion.
The conclave featured multiple recognition segments, including:
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Global Pop Icon presented to Daler Mehndi
- Masters of LIVE honouring Wizcraft Group, represented by Andre Timmins, Sabbas Joseph, and Viraf Sarkari
With the introduction of new segments like Lions of Live, The Big Fight, Sponsorship Marketing Honours, and the expanded WOW Live Awards, Shows of India 2026 successfully evolved into a comprehensive ecosystem platform – combining thought leadership, recognition, and business enablement.
With over 2,000 attendees, the conclave once again established itself as India’s premier platform for the live entertainment and experiential industry, setting the agenda for the sector’s next phase of growth.
