CEF, South to spotlight creative economy at Visakhapatnam meet
The Hans India, Creative Economy Forum organizing the event on Jan 31
Visakhapatnam is set to host the Creative Economy Forum (CEF), South on January 31, 2026, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, creators and entrepreneurs to deliberate on the growing role of creative industries in India’s economic growth. Being organised by The Hans India in association with Creative Economy Forum (CEF), the event will be held from 6 pm to 11 pm in the Vizag Convention Centre. HMTV is the media partner for the event.
The high-profile event will feature an impressive line-up of Guests of Honour, including Kandula Lakshmi Durgesh Prasad, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Tourism, Culture and Cinematography; Kondapalli Srinivas, Minister for MSMEs and NRI Empowerment & Relations; Khushbu Sundar, film actress, BJP Vice-President (Tamil Nadu) and member of the National Commission for Women; and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Telangana Minister for Roads, Buildings and Cinematography
The forum aims to explore how creativity, technology and heritage can be transformed into scalable economic opportunities. The first session, “Creative Tech Revolution: How AI, Gaming, Animation and Digital Media Are Redefining Growth,” will bring together leaders from animation, film production, artificial intelligence and digital media, including Buggaveti Rajsekhar, MD & CEO of Creative Multimedia (ARENA), Damodara Prasad, President of the Film Producer Council, and Meghana Tirumalasetty, Co-founder of LBS Studio and Co-Chair of APVAGA
The second session, “Handlooms to High Streets: Transforming Heritage into Scalable Businesses,” will focus on leveraging traditional crafts and design for modern markets. Speakers include Varun Kondi, Founder of Bharat Khadi House, Rudra Pratap, Co-founder of CloudTailor, and Dr. Narsimhugari Tej Lohit Reddy, Executive Director of FDDI-Hyderabad. The session will be hosted by Supriya Suri, Founder of the Creative Economy Forum.
Addressing the financial backbone of creative sectors, the third session titled “Money, Markets and IP: Financing the Future of Films and Music” will feature producers, filmmakers and industry representatives discussing funding models, intellectual property and market dynamics. Notable speakers include Prasanna Kumar, Secretary of the Producers Council, Sridhar J. Swaminathan, Secretary of SIMCA, and actress Cuckoo Parameswaran.
The event will also highlight hospitality and culinary sectors through discussions on tourism, education and cultural exchange. A dedicated session on “Culinary Crossing Borders: Cuisines Connecting Cultures” will bring together chefs, culinary educators and hospitality leaders to explore food as a cultural and economic bridge.
The Creative Economy Forum, South is envisioned as a platform to foster collaboration between government, industry and the creative community, positioning Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as emerging hubs for creative and cultural enterprises in India.
