The WOW Awards Asia, the region’s largest platform celebrating excellence in Experiential Marketing, MICE, Live Entertainment, and the Wedding Industry, is set to return for its 17th edition at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai, on July 3-4, 2026.
The awards are now open for entries across 106 categories, spanning five distinct segments: Experiential Marketing Awards, Experiential Celebrations Awards, Experiential Tech Awards, Hotel & Venue Awards, and Live Quotient Awards.
Renowned for its credibility and rigorous evaluation standards, WOW Awards Asia follows a comprehensive two-stage judging process conducted by an esteemed panel of industry experts and independently validated by EY. Carefully selected for their expertise and industry leadership, the jury ensures a transparent, fair, and merit-driven assessment of every entry.
As the industry continues to push the boundaries of innovation and execution, the spotlight now turns to the Experiential Tech Awards (Group C). This category celebrates the behind-the-scenes specialists and supplier partners who transform creative concepts into extraordinary live experiences. Dedicated exclusively to service providers, Group C recognizes excellence in event production, technical innovation, and flawless execution across a wide spectrum of disciplines.
From large-scale production management and stage engineering to lighting design, trussing, special effects, pyrotechnics, projection mapping, fabrication, hospitality logistics, catering solutions, and show running, the category honors the expertise, precision, and innovation that power the experiential industry. It recognizes the professionals and organizations that consistently overcome complex execution challenges to deliver technically superior, immersive, and unforgettable event experiences.
As technology continues to redefine the possibilities of live experiences, the Experiential Tech Awards remain a benchmark for recognizing the technical excellence and innovation that bring the industry’s most ambitious ideas to life.
The esteemed Jury of Experiential Tech Group are:
Rachna Panikker – Independent Creative Producer
Rachna Panikker is an experiential marketing professional with over 15 years of experience creating impactful festivals, brand IPs, and immersive consumer experiences. Known for blending creativity with strategic thinking, she specializes in designing engaging, culture-led experiences that build meaningful audience connections and deliver lasting brand impact.
Rajat Uppal – Business Head, BAE(Before Anyone Else), ABP Network
Rajat Uppal is a marketing and sales leader with over 23 years of experience across the liquor and media industries. Known for driving brand growth, market expansion, and consumer engagement, he combines strategic thinking with execution excellence to build impactful brands and deliver strong business results.
Rajdeep Chakraborty – Director, What’s in D Name Live
Rajdeep Chakraborty is a live entertainment entrepreneur and the Director of What’s In D Name Live, East India’s largest live concert company. Known for bringing global and Indian music icons to the region, he has played a pivotal role in elevating Kolkata’s live entertainment landscape through world-class concerts, large-scale productions, and innovative audience experiences.
Romi Dua – Owner, Romi Dua Experiences Spaces (Furniture Rental), Spalla (Event Management)
Romi Dua is an event professional, entrepreneur, and production consultant with extensive experience in experiential events, luxury celebrations, and corporate productions. As the force behind ventures including Romi Dua Experiences, Spaces, and Spalla, he is known for delivering immersive experiences through creative vision, operational excellence, and expertise in event production and infrastructure solutions.
Sonal Varma – Global Director, Live Initiatives at NODWIN Gaming
Sonal Varma is a leading experiential marketing and pop-culture professional with over 15 years of experience building youth-focused brands, fan communities, and large-scale entertainment IPs. As Global Director – Live Initiatives at NODWIN Gaming and strategic custodian of Comic Con India, she has played a key role in shaping India’s pop-culture ecosystem through innovative fan experiences, strategic partnerships, and award-winning brand collaborations.
Subhashini Balasubramanian – Executive Director, Seventy Event Media Group
Subhashini Balasubramanian is a seasoned experiential marketing and events professional with extensive leadership experience in building brands, managing large-scale events, and driving business growth. As Executive Director at Seventy Event Media Group, she is recognized for her strategic vision, client-centric approach, and contribution to shaping impactful experiential campaigns and live experiences.
Thomas Ovesen – Chief Executive Officer, All Things Live Middle East
Thomas Ovesen is a live entertainment executive and event strategist with extensive global experience in artist bookings, festival programming, and large-scale event production. Known for delivering world-class concerts, tours, and entertainment properties, he has built a strong reputation for connecting international talent with audiences through innovative programming and exceptional event execution.
