Mumbai: Neeraj Roy, Founder & CEO of Hungama Digital Media Entertainment, has been inducted into the Hall of Fame by the International Advertising Association (IAA) India Chapter at the IAA Leadership Awards 2026, recognising his contribution to India’s media, entertainment and digital ecosystem.
The Hall of Fame recognises industry leaders whose vision, leadership and sustained impact have contributed to the evolution of media, marketing, advertising and communications.
The induction took place at the IAA Leadership Awards 2026 in Mumbai, where Roy was recognised alongside industry leaders for his contributions to their respective fields. The honour acknowledges his role in shaping India’s digital entertainment ecosystem and his continued focus on innovation at the intersection of content and technology.
Roy founded Hungama in 1999, at a time when India’s internet ecosystem was still in its early stages. Over the years, he has been associated with the transformation of digital entertainment from ringtones and downloads to music, video, gaming and streaming.
Under his leadership, Hungama has built partnerships with more than 300 telcos and 260 telecom and OTT platforms, while working with over 460 brands through more than 8,000 ePromos. Roy also established India’s first content partnership with Apple for iTunes and developed platforms supporting independent artists.
Today, Hungama reaches more than 200 million users across 60-plus languages, connecting audiences with content from over 1,600 studios, labels and creators globally. The company has also received more than 260 global awards for innovation.
Roy has been recognised for his entrepreneurial leadership through several industry honours, including being named among the world’s ‘Top Ten mobiThinkers’ and the ‘50 Most Influential People in Mobile Entertainment’. He is also a recipient of the Sun Microsystems–The Economic Times Young Leader Award.
Beyond Hungama, Roy has contributed to the evolution of India’s media and entertainment ecosystem, particularly through his focus on innovation, technology and digital transformation.
On receiving the honour, Neeraj Roy, Founder & CEO, Hungama Digital Media Entertainment, said, “I am truly honoured and a little overwhelmed to receive this recognition from the IAA. Over the last two decades, I have been fortunate to witness and be part of multiple waves of transformation in our industry. We started when the internet only had a million people online, and over the years, we have seen four or five major transitions, from the early internet and brands to music, gaming and video. Through every transition, one thing has remained constant: curiosity. I am deeply grateful to the people who walked the Hungama journey with me and my family, who have been part of this journey. Today, I have never felt more energised about the possibilities that AI presents. If we embrace it with optimism, AI has the potential to redefine storytelling through hyper-personalised experiences and unlock entirely new possibilities for creators and audiences alike. Thank you, IAA, for bestowing this honour on me.”
As the media and entertainment industry enters a new phase driven by artificial intelligence and technological change, Roy continues to focus on the next phase of Hungama’s evolution. He sees AI as expanding opportunities for creators and audiences, particularly through hyper-personalised storytelling, creator-led innovation and immersive entertainment.
Having been part of India’s digital entertainment transformation for more than two decades, Roy continues to steer Hungama towards AI-powered storytelling and new forms of entertainment, with curiosity remaining a central driver of innovation.
