The Who’sNext Influencer Awards 2026 brought together some of the most talked-about digital personalities from across Eastern and Northeast India. This proved once again that India’s creator economy is no longer limited to just metro influencers and mainstream internet stars. Held in Kolkata, the event celebrated creators across entertainment, beauty, food, sports storytelling, radio, and regional influence. As a result, it highlighted how local voices are shaping national digital culture.
Unlike traditional influencer events focused purely on virality, this year’s awards reflected a larger shift in the creator space. In this new space, authenticity, niche communities, and cultural identity matter just as much as follower counts. For example, radio personalities have turned into digital entertainers. Also, there are creators building strong regional audiences. The winners represented the growing diversity of India’s internet landscape.
Digital Creator of the Year: RJ Praveen @rjpraveen 2.6M followers
Known for blending radio storytelling with digital-first content, RJ Praveen took home the Digital Creator of the Year award. His content style reflects how traditional media personalities are successfully adapting to the creator economy. In addition, they are building loyal online communities beyond FM audiences.
Entertainer of the Year: RJ Priyanka @rjpriyanka 1.4M followers
RJ Priyanka’s win highlighted the growing influence of creators who balance humour, relatability, and regional audience connection. Her digital presence goes beyond radio, turning everyday moments and personality-driven content into highly engaging entertainment.
Next Gen Sports Storyteller: Annesha Ghosh @annesha555 9,135 followers
Sports storytelling on the internet is rapidly evolving, and Annesha’s recognition reflects that shift. Instead of traditional sports reporting, creators like her are making sports culture more conversational, emotional, and accessible for younger digital audiences.
Chef Influencer of the Year: Kriti Bhatika @kirtibhoutika 661k followers
Food creators continue to dominate engagement online, and Kriti Bhatika’s win shows how culinary storytelling has become a major part of creator culture. Now, from recipes to lifestyle-driven food content, chef influencers are shaping internet trends as much as traditional entertainers.
Face of NE Influencers Award: Alobo Naga @alobonaga 151k followers
One of the biggest highlights of the evening was Alobo Naga winning the Face of NE Influencers Award. His recognition reflected the increasing national spotlight on creators and artists from Northeast India. This is a space that is finally gaining stronger representation in mainstream creator conversations.
Beauty Influencer of 2026: Gracy Thapa @gracy__thapa01 612k followers
Beauty creator culture continues to evolve beyond tutorials and product recommendations, and Gracy Thapa’s win highlighted creators who combine beauty, personality, and lifestyle branding into a strong digital identity. Her recognition reflects how beauty influencers are increasingly becoming community-driven creators rather than just trend followers.
These were just a few of the many creators recognised at the Who’sNext Influencer Awards 2026. The event celebrated the growing diversity of India’s digital creator space across entertainment, storytelling, food, beauty, and regional influence.
Why This Year’s Awards Felt Different
What made these awards stand out was its focus on regional voices, niche creators and personalities building strong audience trust instead of simply chasing internet virality. The event reflected a creator economy that is becoming more localised, culturally diverse, and community-led than ever before.
From Northeast representation to next-generation storytelling creators, this year’s winners showed that influence today is no longer defined only by numbers but by connection, relatability, and cultural impact.