The jury for the 2026 edition of the Pepper Awards has been announced.

As the awards turn 20, this year, Pepper Awards will celebrate creative work from across India, expanding beyond its traditional South Indian footprint. 

The jury for this year's edition include professionals from across the creative, advertising, design, media, digital and communication industries. 

Entries for the awards are currently open.

They are:

• Abhijit Avasthi, founder, Sideways Consulting
• Agnello Dias, co-founder, Spinach Experience Design
• Anto Noval, chief creative officer, BMEG
• Anupama Ramaswamy, managing director and chief creative officer, Havas Creative India
• Anusha Tallam, co-founder and chief creative officer, EBB X FLO
• Deepa Geethakrishnan, founder, MYO
• Harshada Menon, executive creative director, Ogilvy India
• Harikrishnan Pillai, founder and chief creative officer, TheSmallBigIdea
• Josy Paul, chairperson and chief creative officer, BBDO India
• Kalpesh Patankar, chief creative officer, VML India
• Prathap Suthan, co-founder, Bang In The Middle
• Priya Shivakumar, former creative head (South), DDB Mudra Group
• Raj Nair, creative consultant
• Ramesh Narayan, founder, Canco Advertising 
• Roshnee Desai, founder and creative director, Local
• Senthil Kumar, chief creative officer and managing partner, Famous Innovations
• Sonal Dabral, creative consultant, screenwriter and film director

The Pepper Awards 2026 function will be held on 27 November at Bolgatty Event Centre in Kochi. 

Manifest continues to be a stakeholder in the Pepper Awards.