The Tastemakers 2026 arrives not just as a list, but as a cultural weather report. It is an index of the ideas, aesthetics, and innovators shaping the way India lives. In 2026, its influence feels sharper than ever. As trend cycles accelerate and audiences grow more discerning, The Tastemakers’ debut this year comes to you as something far more significant: a compass for meaning in an age of saturation.

01 Film & Cinema | First Look Tastemakers 2026

PRATIK GANDHI
The Face of Nuanced Storytelling

Pratik Gandhi’s journey from theatre to screen can be defined by patience and intent. Rather than fitting into the industry’s mould, he has carved his own path through stories that feel real, layered, and deeply human. Drawn to characters that sit in grey areas, his work reflects a deeper shift in Indian storytelling: one that values nuance over neatness.

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02 Sports | First Look Tastemakers 2026

JEMIMAH RODRIGUES
The New Pulse of Indian Cricket

A power player, a prodigy – with her exceptional grit on the field and an equally radiant personality off the field, Jemimah has captured the hearts and minds of many. The cricketer who historically helped India reach the finals in 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, refuses to take a break.

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03 Design | First Look Tastemakers 2026

JJ VALAYA

For over three decades, JJ Valaya has shaped the language of Indian ceremonial luxury – building a design universe rooted in heritage, travel, and the discipline of couture. Long before “maximalism” became a global fashion conversation, Valaya was constructing richly layered narratives drawn from royal ateliers, museum textiles, and cultural memory. Today, his work continues to redefine occasionwear through structure, proportion, and surface depth.

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04 Fashion & Style | First Look Tastemakers 2026

JAINA LALBHAI
The Woman Shaping India’s New Luxury Language

Trained as a lawyer but guided by instinct, Jaina Lalbhai has quietly reshaped how contemporary Indian women approach everyday luxury. Through her platform Style Audit, she championed a new wave of designers long before digital visibility transformed fashion retail – curating wardrobes that balanced modernity with craft integrity. Rooted in Ahmedabad yet culturally far-reaching, Lalbhai’s work sits at the intersection of taste, trust, and transformation. 

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05 Beauty | First Look Tastemakers 2026

NAMRATA SONI
The Architect of Modern Indian Beauty

For over two decades, Namrata Soni has quietly shaped the visual language of beauty in India – from red carpets and film sets to magazine covers and bridal mornings. Long before “clean skin,” glow, and effortless glamour became industry shorthand, Soni was championing a skin-first philosophy rooted in an intuitive understanding of the Indian face. Today, that vision extends beyond the makeup chair through Simply Nam, her eponymous beauty brand.

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06 Jewellery | First Look Tastemakers 2026

BHAVYA RAMESH
The Sculptor of Contemporary Jewellery Code

In an industry often defined by convention, Bhavya Ramesh offers a striking departure. Her work trades the ornamental for the expressive, transforming jewellery into something more tactile, sculptural, and instinctively personal. Whether through sculptural silverwork or the recent exploration of pearls as imperfect, expressive forms, Ramesh treats each element as a medium rather than a motif – pushing it beyond its expected aesthetic.

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07 Business | First Look Tastemakers 2026

SHAMIKA HALDIPURKAR
The Voice of Intelligent Skincare

A former lawyer who walked away at her lowest point, Shamika Haldipurkar chose uncertainty over expectation. From courtrooms to formulation labs in Korea, her journey has been driven by instinct, rigour and resilience, not industry playbooks. In a market driven by speed and noise, Shamika Haldipurkar is building d’you with formulation, intention, and clarity – creating products that respect the intelligence of skin rather than override it.

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08 Food | First Look Tastemakers 2026

CHEF NIYATI RAO
The Author of a New Indian Palate

In a dining landscape often defined by labels, Chef Niyati Rao resists easy categorisation. Her craft does not seek to fit into a cuisine; instead, it begins with an ingredient, a memory, or a question, and unfolds from there. As the creative force behind Ekaa and the mind behind the evocative bar concept Bombay Daak, Rao is quietly reshaping how India experiences its own culinary identity – less as a fixed tradition, and more as a living, evolving conversation. 

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09 Culture | First Look Tastemakers 2026

SUSHMITA SARMAH
Rewriting How India Comes Together

At a time when food is increasingly reduced to trend and transaction, Sushmita Sarmah is building something slower, more intentional. Through The Gathering, she is reimagining how India comes together – not just to eat, but to share, listen, and connect. What she’s creating sits somewhere between a table, a stage, and a cultural shift.

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10 Fitness | First Look Tastemakers 2026

KARAN SAWHNEY
The Discipline Behind the Movement

A former professional footballer, currently a fitness and lifestyle coach, and the co-founder of fitness studio, The Tribe – Karan Sawhney is a game-changer when it comes to training. In a world obsessed with fitness trends, he believes in a meticulous process rooted in consistency, dedication and visualisation. 

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