Dr Annurag Batra is a first generation entrepreneur, an angel investor, a TV show host, an author, mentor to many budding entrepreneurs, a board member, an educationist and a book lover and book aficionado. Dr Batra is founder of exchange4media group and the Chairman of BW Businessworld and has served as the Board Member of his alma mater MDI, Gurgaon for 42 months and is also the Chairman and President of MDI alumni society. Dr Batra believes if you make your hobby your profession you don’t have to work

A multi-disciplined motion pictures and film industry professional with a unique blend of creativity, business-mindedness and analytical insight, Rajeev Kumar (Rastogi) started off as a post-production professional and after setting up multiple VFX houses and running them successfully at executive roles, he’s now a heading VFX for one of the leading Production House of the Industry Excel Entertainment Private Limited.

He’s been a valuable contributor in vfx industry with different viewpoints and constantly incubating various business models to organize and correct the cost models. He’s the first person to propose and establish a visual effects production pipeline, strategically segregating the thin line between Production and Execution. His long list of Filmography includes more than 100+ projects incuding long and short form both for domestic as well international markets.


Rajeev has been around in the industry for more than a decade and is a known name amongst several filmmakers who’ve intended to work with him continously and independently. He’s the youngest professional and yet the most dynamic leader who’ve always believed in people theory by investing, helping and identifying key individuals who are ready to grow as entrepreneurs.

Earlier being worked as COO, Rajeev has managed business overseeing day-to-day operations, budgets, processes and managing the P&L for the company alongwith implementing performance metrics, forming strategic partnerships, and establishing successful business verticals. He has been consistently successful in managing resources internally and externally, on a larger scale from inception to the big and smaller screen. He was also a part of Visual Effects Society, India Chapter and was selected for Board of Managers in his first year of tenure itself.

He has been known for his cost intensive models which have helped major budgeted films to balance the vfx cost, quality and production timelines. With exceptionally strong communication skills, outstanding organizational and managerial experience, Rajeev has been a self- motivated and inspired professional who has been able to overcome challenges and exploit opportunities.

Recently Rajeev, was one of the Jury at 24 fps Awards organised by MAAC and was a speaker at India’s largest VFX Confluence in Hyderabad. Earlier, from being a speaker at Jagran Film Festival to conducting a workshop for students in PCMC (Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation) to a speaker at VAM Summit, 2021, etc Rajeev has been a prominent speaker on public events and with several institutions.

Rajeev has recently been awarded “Maharashtra Ratna Puruskar 2023” by Shri Mangal Lodha (Minister of Tourism, Maharastra) and with an honorory doctorate in the field of Visual Effects by the Institute of Entrepreneurship and Management Studies (American Council of Training and Development, NY, USA). Prior to this, he was also awarded by an online magazine Insight Success under the category “30 Young and Dynamic Entrepreneurs to watch in 2019” and later for “Excellence in Animation and VFX Industry” in the year 2020 by Business Mint.

With over a decade of experience in brand strategy and consumer engagement, Dipika Balkrishna Gavankar has distinguished herself as a transformative marketing leader in the premium services landscape. As Head of Marketing at Pressto India, she has meticulously cultivated a brand narrative that transcends conventional dry-cleaning services, elevating fabric, shoe & bag care to an art form of precision and sophistication.

Her strategic vision has been instrumental in positioning Pressto India as a discerning partner for luxury fashion houses. By securing collaborations with iconic international brands including Gucci, Ferragamo, Hermès, YSL, Zegna, and Balenciaga, Gavankar has not merely expanded service offerings but redefined the paradigm of garment aftercare.

Her marketing campaigns artfully bridge digital innovation and traditional brand communication, creating resonant experiences that speak to contemporary, quality-conscious consumers.

Recognized for her industry expertise, Gavankar was honoured with the MiD DAY India Influencer Award in 2023 – a testament to her sophisticated approach to brand development and consumer engagement.

Gavankar represents a new generation of marketing professionals who understand that true brand excellence lies not just in commercial success, but in crafting experiences that reflect nuanced understanding of consumer aspirations.

Hussaine Kesury is the Chief Business Officer at Pepperfry, India's leading furniture and home marketplace. With over a decade of experience in the industry, Hussaine has been instrumental in shaping Pepperfry’s category strategy and offline retail expansion. Having joined the company in 2012, he has led multiple business verticals, driving growth, innovation, and customer engagement.
Before Pepperfry, Hussaine held leadership roles at eBay Motors, Tata AIG, and ICICI Bank, gaining extensive experience in sales, category management, and business development. His expertise in retail, franchising, and consumer behavior makes him a thought leader in the home and furniture segment.

Megha Tata is a seasoned media professional with over 33 years of experience in leading media companies like Star TV, Turner International , HBO India, BTVI (Business Television India), Discovery Communications, Cosmos Maya India. She has been on the boards of IBDF (Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation) and IAA ( International Advertising Association). She served as the Vice President of the International Advertising Association (IAA) India Chapter from 2016-2018 and as President of IAA - India Chapter (2020-2022). The second woman to hold that position.She is passionate about gender representation in media and advertising and has been leading an initiative on behalf of IAA called the IAA Voice of change, which talks about gender representation in content across platforms. She is now a Strategic Advisor guiding organizations to scale up. She is also on the Board of Trustees of not for profit organizations- TRRAIN and Population First.


She brings expertise in management of businesses in the Media and Entertainment industry. Ability to overcome obstacles and capture opportunities , create and implement savvy marketing strategies has been her forte. An industry veteran, she leads multiple national as well as international industry forums and is an esteemed member of the National Media and Entertainment Committee of CII and FICCI-AVGC.


She has been recognized as ‘Next 30’ most powerful women to look out in 2010; and was also adjudged as one of India’s hottest young executives of the media industry in 2009 by Business Today. She has been regularly adjudged amongst the top 50 influential women in media, marketing and advertising. She has got the Women Leadership award by World Women Leadership Congress in 2014. Was judged amongst India’s top 100 important people in the industry by Digital Studio a leading magazine in Broadcasting and Production. Got awarded “Women of the Decade in Media” by the Women Economic Forum -2018. Has been featured as one of the Powerful Influencers of M&E industry and was also adjudged amongst Asia's Most Inspirational Women in Leadership for 2022 . She is recognized for her strong leadership skills and excellence in training, development and mentoring of staff and customers.


In addition to being actively involved in industry initiatives, Megha is energized by engaging with young minds through guest lectures at leading educational institutes including IIT, IIM, ISB, UBS, and is passionately involved as a Volunteer with Isha Foundation - a non-profit organization started by Sadhguru.

Prashant Patil, co-founder of ORACURA since 2021, is an experienced Director with a proven track record in building brands and businesses through digital media. With 20 years of experience running a successful digital marketing agency, he has worked with esteemed clients such as HUL, Parle, Tupperware, and VICCO.

Prashant holds an MBA in Marketing, a Bachelor’s Degree in Instrumentation Engineering, and a Diploma in Robotics. He excels in Digital Marketing, User Experience, Team Building, and Product Strategy & Development. Currently, he is focused on ORACURA thriving in both the Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) spaces, leveraging his extensive expertise to drive growth and innovation.

Began his Career 10 Years back as a Dancer Turned Actor/Model Turned Journalist for News Agencies to a Media entrepreneur.

He is handling top notch brands Marketing and been a part of brand campaigns like Pepsi Haldiram etc and his role involves managing digital Content Creators of different niche & assisting them in expanding their online presence and become a brand themselves.

Through CELEBISTAAN, Pratik Aims to empower and support these individuals in achieving their goals within the digital realm, Fostering growth, and nurturing a vibrant creative community !

Preeti Vyas is the President & CEO of Amar Chitra Katha Private Limited, publishers of the iconic Amar Chitra Katha comics and Tinkle magazine. She is also the Founder of FunOKPlease Publishing that creates contemporary Indian content for children. During the past 5 years at ACK, Preeti has been passionately working with her team to give both these iconic brands, powerful digital avatars and a confident global presence. They are on a mission to not just protect the legacy of their founder Uncle Pai but create fresh content that endears itself to the young reader of today.

Through her 29-year-long career, she has been a retailer, publisher, marketer, editor, author and entrepreneur. Preeti is also a jury member of the Advertising standards Council of India and Governing member of the Media Entertainment Skills Council of India. Preeti believes passionately in the power of children’s content to shape the future of India and the world.

Rasika Prashant, is the CMO – Soulfull, Tata Consumer Products Ltd. since September ‘24. In her previous role she served as the co-founder and CMO of Kottaram Agro Foods (Soulfull) for ten years. She is instrumental in bringing to life Soulfull’s concept of packaging India’s ancient grains in a form that
is appealing to the consumer. Rasika has been instrumental in devising the marketing strategies and leading all the marketing initiatives for Soulfull. Till 2018 Rasika was single handedly running the marketing for Soulfull


She has 2 kids aged 8 and 12 and it was this role that intrigued her to bring Soulfull and the healthy products to the forefront and make heath more fun and accessible.

Post her MBA in marketing Rasika has worked in various field of advertising and communication which gives her the 360 perspectives of branding and marketing. She started her career with Adfactors PR and moved on to being an outdoor advertising expert at Laqshya media. The exciting journey as Activations head at Ogilvy to becoming a Digital Advertising planner at Euro RSCG San Francisco completed the 360 experiences in media, communications and advertising. The stint that started in Mumbai and extended to San Francisco helped her get a holistic understanding of consumers across markets. Having worked on FMCG brands like HUL, Cadburys, Castrol, Fortune, Method Organics to name a few has helped in having the relevant experience that can be applied to her current role.

Founder RedFox Media Corp he is a leader in business and creative development with innumerable experience working in India and South Asia. He Founded RedfoxMedia where the company consults leading Global Media Companies in India and the SAARC region and in a shot span of two years created IPs for Redfox shows and live events .His previous stints in leadership roles have been in BBC Studios, FremantleMedia – South Asia in areas of Licensing Commercial, Creative, Branded Content, Legal, and Partnership working across India & South Asia markets.

Mr. Sanatkumar Mishra is the EVP & National Marketing & Research Head of Radio City. He has been playing an instrumental role in developing well-crafted marketing strategies and managing budgets, with intensive research in different cities. To keep the revenue intact and also engage with a larger set of listeners across pan India, he chalked out a stimulating rebranding campaign for Radio City with 85% brand recall post-change. It was his passion and creative vision that led to the introduction of brand Radio City’s tagline ‘FM Bole Toh’.


With over 22 years of rich experience spanning across the media industry, Sanatkumar has worked with companies in print, radio and television space. While working in the television industry, he tracked the viewership and brand strength for TV networks such as Star TV, MTV, Zee TV & Eenadu TV. In the print media space, Sanatkumar has delivered high quality advertisement tracking for publications such as Times of India, Hindustan Times, Dainik Bhaskar, and others. He also conducted brand dynamic research for Maruti Suzuki four-wheelers and Bajaj two-wheelers. As a part of the IMRB Panel, he worked for FMCG giants like Unilever, P&G where he conducted consumer research across Urban & Rural markets to understand purchase patterns, consumer behaviour, retail audits.


Sanatkumar Mishra is an expert in data analytics with a proven track record. He prepared a Statistical model on “Print Passion” to measure the Passion Index of different newspapers and thereby derive a Readership Passion Index which could be married with AIR for better media planning, a model presented at WRRS London. He developed a paper on Quality of Viewing (Attention Index while watching Television) in Kantar Media that was showcased in IMRB International Conference. He has also developed the statistical model “Predictorate” to gauge the TVT’s and investment in different matches at Lowe Lintas. He has developed the model to execute the TGI (BMRB Choices-3 software), which is one of the largest studies in India with TV, press & household information with responsibility of data analytics.


Mr. Mishra is a topper in Statistics from Mumbai University and holds a Post-Graduate degree in Marketing & Sales Management from the Bhavan’s Mumbai. In his personal time, he likes spending time with his family and reading books.

Sanjeev Dubey is a passionate entrepreneur dedicated to empowering children through education, creativity, and experiential learning. His mission is to create platforms that enable children to explore, express, and connect with the world beyond traditional schooling. With over 17 years of experience, he has collaborated with various children's brands and initiatives across India, fostering engaging and impactful experiences for young minds.

Professional Journey
A Computer Science graduate from MSRIT Bangalore (2009), Sanjeev began his career as a Product Engineer in a Canadian company. However, his passion for children's development led him to launch ChotuPainter.com, a national-level kids’ entertainment company based in Bangalore.

ChotuPainter is a creative learning platform designed to nurture artistic expression, storytelling, and imagination in children. It collaborates with schools, communities, and brands to introduce interactive workshops, competitions, and engaging learning experiences that inspire creativity and self-expression.

In 2018, Sanjeev Dubey founded ExtraChildhood.org, India’s first Integrated School Media Platform for government schools, enabling students to connect and communicate with the world through their stories and creativity. The platform empowers children with opportunities to explore, experience, and showcase their talents.

Currently, ExtraChildhood operates across multiple districts of Madhya Pradesh. The initiative is incubated at IIM Bangalore and collaborates with government bodies, NGOs, and private organizations to bridge the gap between traditional education and real-world opportunities.

Sanjeev also leads Knowval, an investment and consulting company that focuses on creating an ecosystem for government-private relationships. Knowval drives impactful projects in education, technology, and community development, particularly for childhood-related services and products.

Personal Life & Interests
Based in Bhopal with his parents, wife, and two children, Sanjeev’s upbringing in a defense family and education in various Kendriya Vidyalayas instilled in him values of discipline, adaptability, and lifelong learning.

A strong advocate for creativity, innovation, and holistic development, he finds inspiration in books, music, travel, sports, and art. His work is dedicated to empowering children to dream, create, and achieve, ensuring they have the platforms, resources, and encouragement to thrive in an ever-evolving world.

Sanjeev Kumar, is a seasoned professional with a distinguished academic and professional background. He holds a B. Tech degree in Mechanical Eng. from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, and an MBA.

With over 48 years of diverse experience across leading organizations, Sanjeev has excelled in various leadership roles, including Director and CEO, in industries such as construction, retail, and manufacturing, handling cross cultural teams across India, Africa and the Middle East. He has been associated with renowned companies such as KidZania India, Metecno Group, Emtelle Group, and Mainetti, contributing significantly to their growth and success.

Mr. Kumar’s deep understanding of strategic business planning, market dynamics, and consumer behavior has been instrumental in driving the Company’s progress.

Saumitra Prasad is a marketing leader with over 27 years of experience in brand strategy, market expansion, and business growth. A management graduate from NMIMS, Mumbai, he has held leadership roles at CavinKare, Sansui, John Keells, and Revlon. Currently serving as the Chief Marketing Officer at DOMS, he drives strategic marketing initiatives, brand positioning, and revenue growth. His expertise spans consumer insights, digital transformation, and product innovation, making him a key driver of business success in competitive markets

With an impressive 17 years of expertise in media, Sonam Pradhan brings a wealth of knowledge from her extensive experience in media agencies and client experience.

As the head of Media and Digital Marketing for Kellogg’s South Asia region – she plays a pivotal role in driving impactful campaigns and fostering innovative strategies.

A true industry trailblazer, Sonam actively contributes as a committee member of the Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) for ASCI, emphasizing her commitment to ethical practices and consumer advocacy.

She has been recently bestowed the honour of Agency Reporter’s 2023 40 under 40 years award for being one of the 40 most Bright Marketing minds of India 2023.
https://www.agencyreporter.com/40under40-2023/

A MBA graduate from MET , Her diverse background encompasses a wide range of industries, including FMCG, BFSI, Automotive, Uber Luxury Brands, Consumer Durables, Online Pharmacy Startups, Entertainment Parks, and Logistic Solution Brands.

Soumini Sridhara Paul is a versatile, end - to - end, strategic brand custodian and business development
expert having experience of building start-ups within an organization from inception involving product
development, content partnerships, acquisition expertise, brand building, content ideation, project
operations and revenue within the Web2.0 space and now entering the Web3.0 space for NFTs and
Metaverse leading content and partnerships with production houses, record labels, celeb talent and
platform developers.
Soumini Sridhara Paul is responsible for multiple verticals in Hungama including Hungama Artist Aloud, a
talent and independent content platform, Hungama Kids, a platform for kids across age groups, Hungama
YouTube and the recently launched Web 3.0 initiative, HeftyVerse.
Launched in January 2010, Soumini has spearheaded the set-up of Hungama Artist Aloud, South Asia’s
premier digital platform for established and new talent with independent audio and video content. She
also launched and continues to build Hungama Kids, an OTT platform for Kids from 0 - 18yrs as well as parents.
She prides in being able to build both of these unique and niche platforms with a dedicated team.
Soumini is also Head of Operations and Content Development other channels on YouTube including
Bollwyood Hungama, Artist Aloud and multiple regional channels for Hungama. Additionally, she also
leads special content creation and event IP projects for Hungama including brand solutions and CSR
initiatives. She has over 2 decades of experience in the entertainment industry including television and
digital media across music, talent, animation, fiction and non-fiction categories, with exposure to the
global market. She has also received 3 Woman Leader Awards between 2018 and 2021.
She has over 25 years’ experience including Channel [v] with Bollywood, Independent and International
talent, Universal Music with album launches and promotions and artist relations as well as being a Pop
Artist and then running her own Artist Management outfit for 6 years managing Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy (for
PR), Sowmya Raoh (Full management), Euphoria (Album contract) and many more.
As a hobby, Soumini has been dabbling into writing for the last 7 years and Disha The Challenge is her first
ever-published work through Partridge. She has several authored articles to her credit on established
publications where she expresses her thoughts aboutthe industry. She started her artistic stint as a singer
almost 25 years back but chose to work in other aspects of the industry to build something that would
change the face of talent and independent content space.
Social Connect:
www.facebook.com/souminisridharapaul
www.twitter.com/ssp10feb
www.youtube.com/souminipau

Tanuja is an astute leader and entrepreneur with over two decades of experience across finance and edtech sectors. After a successful 14-year career with multinational banks like HSBC, Standard Chartered, and Barclays, where she led wealth management businesses across geographies including the UAE, Singapore, HK, UK, and Australia, Tanuja chose to follow her passion for education and entrepreneurship. Throughout her banking career, she was known for her ability to execute profitable businesses while leveraging cutting-edge technologies to achieve objectives. Her entrepreneurial journey began when she identified the lack of organized music education in India and co-founded Furtados School of Music (FSM) in 2014, along with her business partner, Dharini Upadhyaya.

Driven by the vision of offering universal access to quality music education, FSM systematically built a strong proposition catering to all age groups through preschools, K12 schools, dedicated centers, @home learning, and a thriving online live learning platform. Over the years, FSM has grown into India’s largest omni-channel music edtech company, teaching over 100,000 students weekly, across 40 cities and building India’s largest community of music educators.

A technology enthusiast, Tanuja ensured FSM became a pioneer in the edtech space with an advanced tech stack covering K12 SaaS solutions, B2C online customer journeys, and proprietary assessment solutions—ensuring scale without compromising quality. FSM remains the first of its kind in India to blend organized music education with innovation at scale.

Tanuja’s entrepreneurial journey has been widely celebrated with numerous accolades, including the Best Edutech Business Solution (Eduworld 2024), Business World Women Entrepreneurship Award for Disruptive Businesses (2021), Certificate of Excellence for Leaders (Economic Times 2021), Tie Women Accelerator Programme Winner(2020), India’s Top 20 Emerging Companies (IE20 by London & Partners), and the Goldman Sachs Women Entrepreneurship Award (run by ISB, Hyderabad).

Beyond FSM, Tanuja is deeply committed to empowering women entrepreneurs. As ExChairperson for CII IWN she passionately advocates for gender diversity, women entrepreneurship and mentorship opportunities for women, fostering a community of like-minded leaders. Her journey continues to inspire, paving pathways for the next generation of innovators and dreamers.

With over two decades of rich experience in the F&B industry, Tarak Bhattacharya serves as the Executive Director and CEO of Mad Over Donuts. Under his leadership, the acclaimed donut brand has grown from a 12-store set-up in Mumbai to a chain of 150+ stores across 6 cities in India, serving over 10 million delighted patrons.

Over his illustrious career, Tarak has worked with several renowned F&B companies. He headed Operations for Barista, one of India’s first and most successful coffee brands, and was later appointed as the COO for MGH Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. to lead two of their popular brands- Nando’s and Barista for their markets in Bangladesh and Nepal. Having worked across continents with diverse cultures, Tarak has a keen understanding of local sensibilities that he uses to inform business strategies. In 2011, Tarak was named COO at Himesh Foods Pvt. Ltd. for their Singaporean gourmet brand Mad Over Donuts. He was promoted to Executive Director and CEO in 2019. A multi-faceted leader, Tarak currently manages diverse aspects of operations, planning and human resources at Mad Over Donuts India.

Tarandeep Singh Sekhon is the Chief Business Officer at BOUNCE Inc India – World Leaders in Freestyle Sports with 32 venues across 16 countries.

Tarandeep with over two decades of experience in entertainment drives sales, marketing, strategic development and business expansion for BOUNCE – country’s largest trampoline park combining elements of the world’s most exciting freestyle activities in a 40,000+ sq.ft. indoor arena. Prior to BOUNCE, he has been instrumental in driving footfalls and building the national footprint for brands such as KidZania, EsselWorld, Water Kingdom & Fame Cinemas.

He holds a MBA Degree in Retail Management and Marketing from The ITM Business School where he was rewarded with the Dean’s Award for Top honors in Academic Excellence. He also holds a PG Certification in Digital. Besides being passionate about his career and excelling on the professional front, Tarandeep is a passionate cricketer, ardent sports buff, motorcycling enthusiast and loves travelling.