Priya Samant

Style may change. Signature endures. ✨ A glittering evening at the Hindustan Times Most Stylish Awards, where fashion, cinema, culture and public life came together to celebrate those whose style has become a statement of individuality and influence. It was a special pleasure to present an award to @JJValaya6 — the Monarch of Indian Fashion — celebrating more than three decades of design brilliance. A pioneer and a revolutionary, he has consistently stitched history seamlessly into the contemporary fabric, transforming historical heirlooms and India’s extraordinary craft traditions into his distinctive world of maximalist luxury and royalty — the celebrated “Royal Nomad” aesthetic. A trailblazer who has set industry firsts and taken Indian craftsmanship to the global stage from the very beginning, Valaya remains a true custodian of heritage. Yet beyond the milestones and global recognition, it is his signature artistry that explains his extraordinary longevity: unmistakable, timeless and entirely his own. ✨ – at New Delhi, India

Frankly Speaking about Navika Kumar A Rewarding evening celebrating excellence and courage in Indian journalism. Heartiest congratulations to @navikakumar ji on receiving the prestigious Pandit Haridutt Sharma Award. A trailblazer in her own right, she has broken barriers, led from the front and built a formidable career marked by courage, conviction and an instinct for the story and truth seeking and a national vision, purpose and pride in India. In an age when narratives matter she has fearlessly woven the evolving New India - Nav Bharat narrative for informing and enlightening Indians and the world. It was a pleasure to share the occasion with @HardeepSPuri ji, @gssjodhpur ji, Dr @dr_maheshsharma ji and many distinguished members of public life and the media. The evening also brought a delightful role reversal — the interviewer found herself in the interviewee’s chair as I turned Frankly Speaking on the formidable Navika! From journalism and leadership to AI, Gen Z and the future of media, with a spirited rapid-fire round to end — more from that conversation soon. – at New Delhi, India

Ten Years of Netflix in India - taking Indian stories to the world and bringing the world’s stories to India. It was a pleasure to join Ted Sarandos, Co-CEO, and his global and Indian team at a dinner celebrating 10 years of @netflix in India. Speaking on the occasion, as a global nomad who had lived and worked outside India for half my life in the incarnation of an Indian diplomat and then as a UN one, I expressed admiration for how Netflix had evolved over the decade to become eponymous with OTT in India and a household name and brand. It now attracted Indian viewers from across classes, generations and geographies. Drawing upon the rich treasure trove of Indian stories, it has burgeoned from its first Indian web series, Sacred Games, in 2018 to a plenitude of Indian shows, web series and films, including in many regional languages. It has fostered a rich and vibrant ecosystem of Indian writers, creators, actors and talent in every area, and contributed to the growth of the creative economy whilst entertaining and enlightening viewers everywhere. But my highest tribute to Netflix India is for something especially close to my heart: women. Women’s stories were once treated almost as a separate category alongside historicals, biopics, thrillers or political dramas. Today, on Netflix, they have become mainstream. Women are the story across genres. They are the protagonists, the decision-makers, the flawed, fearless, complex Sheroes making Herstory as much as history. And importantly, women are also strongly represented in Netflix India’s leadership, Monika Shergill and Mahima Kaul - helping shape the stories that reach millions and transform mindsets. At a time when India is advancing the paradigm of women-led development, the cultural power and social justice impact of such storytelling cannot be overstated. I also said that the next frontier for Netflix-India symbiosis must be for India’s stories to conquer the world. Korea gave us Squid Game, Spain Money Heist, and America Stranger Things. Why should the next great global phenomenon, the next blockbuster, not emerge from India - with our civilisational depth, hundreds of languages, extraordinary characters and an inexhaustible storytelling tradition? What’s Next on Netflix? I hope it is an unmistakably Indian story that makes the whole world stop, watch - and ask for more. – at New Delhi, India

A UN Women bond renewed on Indian soil. It was a real pleasure to welcome Shoko Ishikawa, the new Head of @unwomenindia, to my residence, along with @kantasingh_, Deputy Country Representative, UN Women India. Shoko and I go back to our UN Women days, when she was a valued colleague in the Regional Office during my tenure with the organisation. It was heart-warming to reconnect — not only as former colleagues, but as members of the same UN Women family, bound by a shared commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment. As she begins this important assignment in India, I wish her every success in advancing the mandate of UN Women in a country where Nari Shakti is at the heart of transformative change, inclusive development and the journey towards Viksit Bharat. A warm welcome to India, Shoko — and every good wish for a meaningful and impactful tenure.