Event Coverage
Sharmila Tagore applauds healthcare sector progress at 15 FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards
Mumbai: Lauding the incredible progress of the healthcare sector in India, Sharmila Tagore, a celebrated film personality, yesterday said that India has come a long way in terms of healthcare advancement, but there is a need to prioritise rural healthcare.
Addressing the ‘15 FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards’ Ms Tagore said, “Indian healthcare sector has seen a tangible success in the last few decades. This sector in India has advanced with technology. I believe in our doctors and do not see any point in going to foreign countries and spending a good chunk of treatment while we have the capability within our country itself.”
She also applauded the efforts of FICCI for hosting the ‘Healthcare Excellence Awards’ every year to honour the invaluable contribution of individuals and organisations in the healthcare sector.
FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards 2023 former secretary of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare & Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India and jury chair- C K Mishra said that the Indian healthcare sector has come a long way, and a healthy India is no longer a distant dream.
“The healthcare sector has made significant progress. We need to work hard, explore new possibilities, and ensure that quality healthcare is accessible to all. A healthy India is no longer a distant dream. We need to step up our efforts in the healthcare sector and strive to bring about positive change,” he asserted.
Dr Harsh Mahajan, chair of the FICCI Health Services Committee at the 15 FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards, also emphasised the need to expedite efforts. He added that the FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards, which recognise organisations and individuals for their exemplary contributions to the healthcare sector, can serve as motivation for the healthcare sector to make remarkable progress in this direction.
Echoing a similar sentiment, FICCI Health Services Committee co-chair Dr Sanjeev Singh; Medical director, Amrita Institute- Faridabad and chief Medical superintendent, AIMSRC Kochi also stressed the importance of recognising good work for progress.
FICCI hosted its ‘15 FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards’ to felicitate organisations and individuals for their invaluable contributions to the healthcare space in different categories on Thursday. The participants were evaluated on three criteria: Innovation, Impact Sustainability and scalability, by a distinguished independent jury panel chaired by C K Mishra.
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
