Amitabh Kant joins Grand Jury of Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity

As India’s creative industries grow more intertwined with policy, technology and national ambition, the lines between culture, commerce and governance continue to blur. Reflecting this shift, Amitabh Kant, one of India’s most influential public-policy figures, has joined the Grand Jury of the Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity, a new platform recognising excellence in modern advertising and brand storytelling.

Enter the Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity

The Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity are designed to celebrate work that goes beyond craft alone—ideas that shape behaviour, influence culture and respond to a rapidly evolving media ecosystem. With categories spanning brand films, integrated campaigns, digital and social innovation, purpose-led creativity, design and visual craft, creative effectiveness, and next-generation formats such as AI, gaming and creator collaborations, the awards seek to capture the full spectrum of contemporary creative expression.

Kant’s inclusion on the grand jury signals the awards’ intent to evaluate creativity not only as an artistic pursuit, but as a strategic and societal force.

Creativity in an age of platforms and purpose

Advertising today operates in a complex environment. Brands speak to consumers who are hyper-connected, deeply opinionated and increasingly conscious of social, environmental and economic context. Campaigns are expected to travel seamlessly across platforms while remaining culturally rooted, technologically fluent and commercially accountable.

Against this backdrop, the Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity have positioned themselves as a culture-first but outcome-aware platform. Entries are judged on originality, cultural resonance, storytelling depth, executional craft, innovative use of media and technology, and—where relevant—measurable impact. The jury structure brings together creative leaders, brand custodians, platform experts and independent voices, reflecting the multidimensional nature of modern creativity.

Kant’s presence on the jury adds a distinct dimension to this mix: an understanding of how narratives, ideas and communication shape national perception, economic participation and public behaviour.

A Career Shaping India’s Narrative

Amitabh Kant is best known for his long career in public service and policy leadership. He served as the Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog, the government’s premier policy think tank, where he played a key role in advancing initiatives related to innovation, manufacturing, sustainability and digital transformation. More recently, he has served as India’s G20 Sherpa, coordinating the country’s engagement with global leaders during its presidency of the forum.

Earlier in his career, Kant was associated with the “Incredible India” campaign during his tenure at the Ministry of Tourism—an initiative widely credited with reshaping India’s global brand and demonstrating how strategic storytelling can influence perception at scale. His work across tourism, industrial policy, startup ecosystems and climate-linked initiatives has consistently highlighted the role of communication in driving participation and belief.

Kant emphasised on competitiveness, innovation and narrative-building as tools of economic growth—ideas that resonate strongly with today’s creative industries.

Why policy voices matter in creative judging

The appointment of a policy leader to a creative jury reflects a broader truth: creativity today is not insulated from the world it operates in. Campaigns influence how citizens view issues such as sustainability, inclusion, consumption and national identity. At the same time, governments and institutions increasingly rely on storytelling to mobilise stakeholders and shape behaviour.

From this perspective, Kant’s role on the grand jury is less about adjudicating aesthetic choices and more about recognising work that understands its wider context—work that aligns creativity with responsibility, ambition and long-term impact.

Read More: Prasoon Joshi joins the Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity's Grand Jury

The Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity are structured to encourage this breadth of thinking. Alongside mainstream categories, they include recognition for purpose-driven work and creative effectiveness, ensuring that ideas are evaluated not only for how they look or sound, but for what they achieve.

Setting the tone for a new creative benchmark

As entries open for work released in 2025, the awards aim to establish a benchmark for what excellence in Indian creativity looks like today. The awards night, planned as a culture-first celebration in Mumbai, will bring together creators, marketers, agency leaders, platform executives and emerging talent.

Read More: Diageo India CEO Praveen Someshwar joins Grand Jury of Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity

Kant’s presence on the grand jury reinforces the seriousness of that ambition. It suggests an awards platform that sees creativity not merely as industry output, but as a contributor to India’s broader economic and cultural narrative.

In an era where ideas travel faster than institutions and stories often shape outcomes as much as policy does, the convergence of creative and public leadership may well define the next chapter of India’s brand story.