Mumbai, Aug 10: Neeraj Roy, Founder & CEO of Hungama Digital Media Entertainment, one of India‘s leading digital entertainment companies, was inducted into the IAA Hall of Fame by the International Advertising Association (IAA) India Chapter at the IAA Leadership Awards 2026, in recognition of his enduring contributions to India‘s media, entertainment and digital ecosystem. The Hall of Fame honours distinguished industry leaders whose vision, leadership and lasting impact have helped shape the evolution of the media, marketing, advertising and communications industries.
The induction took place at the event held in Mumbai, where Roy joined fellow industry leaders recognised for their lasting contributions to their respective fields. The honour acknowledges his pioneering role in shaping India‘s digital entertainment industry and his continued contribution to innovation across content and technology. The remarks also recognised Roy‘s conviction in founding Hungama at a time when India‘s digital ecosystem was still taking shape, and his ability to anticipate change in a dynamic and disruptive environment.
A pioneer of India‘s digital entertainment industry, Roy founded Hungama in 1999, when the country’s internet ecosystem was still in its infancy. As entertainment evolved from ringtones and downloads to music, video, gaming and streaming, Roy remained at the forefront of this transformation, building partnerships with 300+ telcos and 260+ telecom and OTT platforms, and working with 460+ brands through 8,000+ ePromos. From establishing India‘s first content partnership with Apple for iTunes to building one of the country’s early platforms for independent artists, he has consistently expanded the reach of Indian entertainment. Today, Hungama reaches over 200 million users across 60+ languages, connecting audiences with content from 1,600+ studios, labels and creators globally, and has won 260+ global awards for innovation. Widely recognised for his entrepreneurial vision, Roy has been named among the world’s ‘Top Ten mobiThinkers’ and the ’50 Most Influential People in Mobile Entertainment’, and is a recipient of the Sun Microsystems–The Economic Times Young Leader Award.
Beyond building Hungama, Roy has played an influential role in shaping India‘s evolving media and entertainment landscape, championing innovation at the intersection of creativity and technology while contributing to the industry’s 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 storytelling enters its next chapter, driven by artificial intelligence and rapid technological change, Roy remains focused on “What’s Next” for Hungama. He believes AI is expanding the industry’s opportunities from finite to infinite, opening up new frontiers for creators and audiences alike. Having helped shape India‘s digital entertainment revolution over the past two decades, he now continues to steer the company towards the future of AI-powered storytelling, creator-led innovation and immersive entertainment — guided by the belief that while entertainment, technology and consumer behaviour may evolve, curiosity will always remain the driving force behind innovation.