iWorld
Prajakta Koli joins 2026 UN SDG Action Awards judging panel
Actor and activist becomes first Indian juror among judges assessing 5,000-plus entries from 190 countries
MUMBAI: Prajakta Koli is taking her global role from the screen to the judging table. The Indian actor, content creator and activist has been appointed to the High-Level Panel of Judges for the 2026 Heroes of Tomorrow: UN SDG Action Awards, becoming the first Indian to serve on the programme’s global judging panel.
Koli is the sole Indian member of this year’s jury, which will assess more than 5,000 entries from 190 countries. The awards are powered by the UN SDG Action Campaign and hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
She joins an international line-up that includes UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, UNDP Administrator and former Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs Felipe Paullier, Oxfam International Executive Director Amitabh Behar and Cannes Best Actress winner Merve Dizdar.
The appointment adds another global chapter to Koli’s increasingly varied career, which spans digital content, mainstream entertainment and climate advocacy. She leads Netflix’s Indian romantic-comedy series Mismatched and recently appeared in the streaming platform’s war drama Operation Safed Sagar.
Koli was also named to Time’s inaugural TIME100 Creators list and serves as UNDP India’s Youth Climate Champion. In that role, she has represented youth perspectives at international forums including COP28, the World Economic Forum in Davos, the United Nations General Assembly and Climate Week NYC.
Speaking about the appointment, Koli said she has long believed in the power of storytelling, creativity and young people taking charge, adding that progress begins with people in a world facing major challenges.
Now in its ninth year, the Heroes of Tomorrow: UN SDG Action Awards recognise initiatives across three categories, Changemaker, Creativity and Resilience.
The judging process will culminate in nine global finalists travelling to Rome for a high-level coaching and capacity-building programme ahead of the awards ceremony on October 29, 2026.
The ceremony will be broadcast globally on UN WebTV and Italy’s national broadcaster RAI. The awards are produced in partnership with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
For Koli, the appointment puts storytelling, youth advocacy and global development on the same stage with a seat on the jury rather than a microphone in hand.
