NEW DELHI:  India’s Next Mastermind Awards 2026, under the banner of the India Spiritual Leaders Awards, will celebrate the country’s leading spiritual leaders, astrologers, yoga masters, healers, spiritual authors, and institutions at its 14th annual edition on July 18, 2026, at Hotel Tivoli, New Delhi.

India’s Next Mastermind Awards is a global recognition platform celebrating excellence across spirituality, business, leadership, and social impact, with a strong footprint in the UAE and India. Organised by Creating Brand Action and powered by the UAE’s Next Mastermind Awards, the event recognises excellence in India’s traditional and contemporary spiritual sciences, including Vedic astrology, Vaastu, reiki, pranic healing, past-life regression, yoga, tarot, numerology, hypnotherapy, and holistic wellness practices.

The awards enjoy the support of its official partners, including Approach Entertainment as the PR Branding Partner, Tivoli Hospitality Group as the Hospitality Partner, Go Spiritual, Knack Digital, Teztech News and News Live as Mastermind Media Partners, and Pankh (Wings to Succeed), SoulWise, and Ananta Merchandise as Branding Partners.

The awards are themed “Honouring India’s Spiritual Masterminds Globally” and will felicitate both individual practitioners and organisations that have preserved ancient knowledge systems while adapting them for modern audiences. Selection is based on authenticity, community impact, and innovative outreach. The platform is powered by the UAE’s Next Mastermind Awards, which has expanded into India through its collaboration with India Global Mastermind Awards, bringing international recognition to the country’s spiritual and wellness ecosystem.

India’s spiritual and wellness sectors have witnessed remarkable growth in recent years, driven by digital platforms, wellness tourism, and increased mainstream interest, particularly among younger generations. The awards aim to provide structured, credible recognition to a field that has traditionally relied on word-of-mouth reputation, while fostering collaboration across monastic, scholarly, institutional, and practitioner communities.

The ceremony will be graced by several eminent personalities. Dr. Ajay Kumar Pandey, National General Secretary and Spokesperson of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and Advocate at the Supreme Court of India, will attend as a distinguished guest. Shri Shri 1008 Mahamandaleshwar Anurag Ji Maharaj, a revered spiritual leader from Juna Akhara, will lend his presence, underscoring the event’s deep connection to India’s monastic traditions. Acharya K. Venkata Raman Ghanapati, a renowned Vedic scholar and “Ghanapathi” title holder from Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple, will represent the scholarly and liturgical dimensions of Vedic tradition.

Ajjay Bhhatia, Deputy Superintendent at Tihar Jail and recipient of the President’s Award for Correctional Services, will bring perspectives on spiritual practices within India’s correctional system. Prashant Nair, CEO of The Art of Living, one of India’s largest wellness and humanitarian organisations, will represent the yoga and meditation movement. Acharya Premchand Sharma, an eminent Vedic scholar with 15 world records in Aqua Yoga and the conductor of the Yog Yagya during the Ram Mandir inauguration, will also grace the occasion.

India Global Mastermind Awards, the organising body, operates under the India’s Next Mastermind Awards platform. With over 14 years of experience originating from the UAE, the platform has honoured more than 10,000 visionary leaders, achieved a global media reach exceeding 400 million, and secured over 300 media features across prominent publications. It connects leaders from more than 75 countries through high-impact events focused on recognition, collaboration, and purposeful leadership.

Dr. Navana Kundu, the Founder, is a bestselling author, TEDx speaker, therapist, coach, and Global Book Award winner. She serves as Ambassador for the International Mental Health Association and UAE Country Chair for G100 Mission Million. Dr. Mansoor Al Obeidli, the Co-Founder, is an internationally acclaimed entrepreneur with a presence across more than 75 countries. He has been recognised for his contributions to Middle East culture, beauty, and global talent promotion.

The event will take place on July 18, 2026, at Hotel Tivoli in New Delhi. It is organised by India Global Mastermind and powered by the UAE’s Mastermind Awards.

As India’s spiritual economy continues to expand, the July 18 ceremony aims to serve as a milestone in formally recognising and elevating the nation’s spiritual leaders and practitioners on both national and global stages.

The inauguration brought together leaders from academia, law, and public service, who underscored the importance of ethical and structured temple governance. The programme blends classroom learning with field immersion and practitioner insights, equipping students with capabilities across services management, perspective management, an understanding of the spiritual economy, financial frameworks, and community engagement, preparing them for responsible leadership in sacred institutions.

Welcoming the new batch, Advocate Shri S. K. Jain, Chairman – Managing Council, Shikshan Prasarak Mandal, and Chairman – College Development Committee, emphasised the importance of responsible trust governance in today’s complex environment; “Temple Trust Management goes far beyond administration. It involves balancing the interests of trustees, devotees, priests, government authorities, and society at large. This programme equips learners with the right mindset and managerial discipline to protect trust assets, ensure transparency, manage crowds sensitively, and uphold faith without compromising emotions,” he said.

Drawing attention to current challenges faced by religious trusts, ranging from regulatory compliance and financial accountability to crowd control and infrastructure utilisation, he added that structured education in temple management is no longer optional but essential for safeguarding India’s spiritual and cultural institutions.

Prof. Dr. Uday Salunkhe, Group Director, WeSchool, highlighted the programme’s larger vision of nation-building through education; “For us, this initiative is about ‘Temple Management for Nation Building’. Temples are not only places of worship; they are social, cultural, and economic nerve centres of communities. By integrating modern management practices with Indian Knowledge Systems and value-based learning, we aim to create leaders aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047,” he said.

Dr. Suresh Haware, Chairman, Temple Management – Core Committee, congratulated WeSchool for being the first institution globally to launch a formal, structured programme in temple management; “WeSchool is the pioneer of Temple Management education. The first batch will always be remembered as the founding cohort of this movement, and the second batch carries forward that legacy. This programme addresses real-world challenges such as, temple economy and even the application of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence,” he said.

Adding a social perspective, Shri Sumant Amshekar, social worker and activist, spoke about temples as invisible yet powerful centres of management; “The best management is often the one that is not noticed. Temple management is about service, discipline, and creating an ecosystem where devotees experience dignity, order, and spiritual fulfilment. This programme has the potential to turn temples into centres of social transformation,” he said.

Dr. Suhas Pednekar, Former Vice Chancellor, University of Mumbai, highlighted the cultural significance of temples in India’s civilisational framework; “Indian society has always stood on four pillars, home, school, temple, and nature. Strengthening temples through knowledge and modern management is essential to preserving our cultural foundation while preparing for the future,” he remarked.

With the inauguration of Batch 2, WeSchool continues its mission to create socially responsible leaders capable of managing sacred institutions with professionalism, compassion, and accountability, ensuring that India’s temples remain resilient pillars of faith, service, and nation-building.