Mumbai : Mumbai gears up for a landmark global environmental celebration as the prestigious Earthshot Prize makes its India debut on November 17, bringing together world leaders, climate innovators, global icons and celebrities to champion groundbreaking solutions for a sustainable future.
Mumbai is all set to take centre stage on the global environmental map as the prestigious Earthshot Prize arrives in India for the first time. Founded by Prince William, the initiative will host its sixth annual awards ceremony in Mumbai on November 17, marking the culmination of a five-day summit dedicated to accelerating innovative solutions to the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges.
The high-profile gathering is expected to witness the presence of several prominent personalities from India and across the globe, including Prince William, Karan Johar, Alia Bhatt, Sonam Kapoor, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, singer Shreya Ghoshal and Oscar-winning actor Rami Malek. Adding an international musical touch to the celebrations, British pop band Take That will make its India performance debut at the event. The grand ceremony is expected to welcome around 5,000 guests and will be broadcast to audiences across 240 countries.
The five-day programme will bring together global leaders, business executives, environmental innovators and 130 young climate leaders from India, Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. Five winners will be announced across the Earthshot Prize’s five key categories: protecting and restoring nature, cleaning our air, reviving our oceans, building a waste-free world and fixing our climate.
The celebrations will kick off with the Jaipur Momentum Retreat from November 13 to 15, bringing together the 2026 finalists and partners to explore opportunities for scaling environmental solutions. This will be followed by the Generation Earthshot programme from November 14 to 17, which will engage 130 young climate leaders through leadership workshops and environmental initiatives. The Impact Assembly on November 16 will focus on forging new partnerships, unlocking investments and taking impactful environmental innovations to a larger global platform.
Speaking at a press conference at the Jio Convention Centre, Jason Knauf, CEO of The Earthshot Prize, described the Mumbai edition as its biggest yet and highlighted India’s growing contribution to the global climate movement.
“We are delighted to be in India for our sixth Earthshot Prize Summit, which is set to be our biggest edition yet. India has produced more Earthshot Prize finalists and winners than any other country in the world. This week, Earthshot has not simply come to India to talk about solutions. We have come to what we consider the global capital of climate action, and it truly feels like coming home,” he said.
Highlighting India’s representation among this year’s finalists, Knauf revealed that two Indian initiatives have earned a place among the 15 global finalists. Mahindra Last Mile Mobility has been recognised for its electric rickshaws, which are driving a significant transition towards cleaner mobility, while Mahila Housing Trust is being acknowledged for empowering women and families to tackle the growing challenges of extreme heat.
“These are initiatives rooted in grassroots action but carrying genuine global significance,” he emphasised.
He further underlined that the real objective of the Earthshot Prize extends beyond celebrating innovation, focusing instead on creating meaningful opportunities through partnerships, investments and access to new markets.
“The recognition gets these solutions seen. What comes next? Partners, investments, new markets. This is what turns ideas into scale, and that’s what next week is going to be all about. And Mumbai, where India’s ideas meet its capital and finance, is exactly the place to do it. So, here’s the measure we will hold ourselves to. Not only how big the celebration is next Tuesday, which will be very big indeed, but how big the impact is a year from now,” Knauf added.
With India emerging as a significant force in climate innovation and sustainable development, the Mumbai edition of the Earthshot Prize promises to be more than just a star-studded celebration. It is an opportunity to bring groundbreaking ideas, influential voices and global resources together, turning environmental ambition into tangible action and inspiring a greener future for generations to come.
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