Meet the top flight judges and mentors supporting RiseUp 2026 teams

Edition 4: PRmoment India RiseUp

Nine elite national teams are gearing up for the high-stakes finale of RiseUP PR 2026, where they will pitch live to a prestigious jury of industry leaders this Friday week. With cash prizes of ₹55,000, ₹30,000, and ₹15,000 on the line for the top three finishers, the competition is set to be electric.

Will the powerhouse from SCoRe defend their gold, or will a challenger from the East—or one of the sharp teams representing Bengaluru, Bhopal, Pune, and Delhi—seize the lead?

Central to the RiseUp PR is a two part process where each team is mentored by a leading communications professional and a separate judges panel evaluates the teams during a live online pitch. A high profile judges panel drawn from leading brands such as Nestle, GE Aerospace and Lenovo as well as top PR firms such as Kaizzen, PR Professionals Zeno, Astrum and 80dB Communications are on the mentoring and judging panel.

Judges Panel 2026

Himmat Singh | Director corporate affairs, sustainability & societal initiatives at Nestlé India. 

A Nestlé veteran since 1999, Himmat has held leadership roles across sales, marketing and corporate affairs in India and the Middle East. He leads government relations, corporate communications, sustainability and societal initiatives for one of India's most trusted FMCG companies.

Gayatri Rath | GE Aerospace International Markets communications and brand lead 

Gayatri has over 25 years of experience in corporate communications, branding and marketing. An IIMC alumna, she has been instrumental in shaping GE's communications narrative across South Asia through high-profile defence, aviation and manufacturing partnerships. 

A published author on trust and leadership, she has previously led high-impact communication mandates at Microsoft and Oracle.

Abhishek Gulyani | Zeno Group 

Abhishek is the managing director for Zeno Group India and head of corporate affairs for APAC, known for his expertise in navigating the "Great Shift" in PR toward AI and data-driven counsel. A seasoned leader and former CEO of Hill+Knowlton India, he is a frequent mentor and advocate for creative storytelling in modern communications.

Shonali Chakravarti | Lenovo 

As the head of communications for APAC (Data Center Group) at Lenovo, Shonali oversees strategic internal and external messaging across 13 diverse markets. With a career spanning tech giants and startups like Uber and OYO, she is a recognized expert in managing reputation during rapid global transformations. She is a Harvard Business School executive programme alumna.

Dr. Sarvesh Tiwari | PRP Group 

The founder and managing director of PRP Group, Dr. Tiwari is a visionary entrepreneur and philanthropist with nearly 25 years of experience in media and infrastructure communications. Under his leadership, PR Professionals has become a nationally recognized firm, particularly lauded for its excellence in the realty and public sectors.

Avantika Gode | Startup Policy Forum

Currently the VP at the Startup Policy Forum, Avantika is a public policy and media powerhouse with past leadership roles at Razorpay and Uber. A former Bloomberg TV journalist, she specializes in bridging the gap between innovative startups and the complex regulatory and policy ecosystem in India.

Mentoring under Industry Veterans

Masooma Pathre (Medtronic)Masooma Pathre is the director communications - strategic marketing enterprise, EurAsia with Medtronic, specializing in healthcare and med-tech communications.

She is an expert in navigating highly regulated sectors, focusing on value-based communication and impactful stakeholder engagement

Aastha Jindal (PepsiCo)

Aastha Jindal is the lead for external communications (India and South Asia) at PepsiCo, overseeing corporate reputation for some of the world’s most iconic FMCG brands. Her career spans leadership roles at the British Council and top PR firms, focusing on cultural relevance and integrated communication

Rajeev Balakrishnan (Kaizzen)

Rajeev Balakrishnan is a senior VP at Kaizzen, where he leads strategic initiatives for one of India's fastest-growing PR agencies. With decades of industry experience, he is known or his expertise in crisis management and crafting high-impact communication mandates for diverse global brand

Rahul Kashyap (PR Professionals)

Rahul Kashyap is the executive director at PR Professionals (PRP), bringing over 20 years of expertise across PR, journalism, and public affairs. A former journalist with PTI and TV Today, he specializes in blending traditional media strategy with modern advocacy and corporate communications.

Ketan Pote (Zeno Group)

Ketan Pote serves as the Mumbai head and national practice lead for technology and reputation at Zeno Group. With over 18 years in the field, he is a specialist in B2B and enterprise tech communication, helping brands navigate the complexities of digital transformation and reputation management

Bhavna Trehan (Brand and Marketing Consultant)

Bhavna Trehan is an independent Brand and Marketing Consultant known for her strategic approach to consumer-centric brand building. With a background in senior marketing roles, she helps businesses bridge the gap between creative storytelling and measurable market growth.

Anika Sahni (80 dB Communications)

Anika Sahni is a director at 80 dB Communications and a recognized "40 Under 40" leader in the PR industry. She is an expert in creative storytelling and has been a driving force behind award-winning campaigns for startups and Fortune 500 companies alike.