INDIAN CREATIVE TALENT SHINES ON GLOBAL STAGE AS THREE MUMBAI-BASED FINALISTS MAKE ADC YOUNG GUNS 24 SHORTLIST

Three young creative professionals from Mumbai have been named finalists in the prestigious ADC Young Guns 24 competition, a global awards programme recognising outstanding creatives aged 30 and under. Their selection places them among 94 finalists from 20 countries, highlighting India’s growing influence in the international creative industry.

Three emerging creative forces from Mumbai have earned a place on one of the world’s most respected platforms for young talent, after being named finalists in the Art Directors Club (ADC) Young Guns 24 awards.

Illustration and design studio Boomranng Studio, designer Chandni Poddar and illustrator-animator Dhrutika Khimani are among 94 finalists selected from 20 countries for the latest edition of the prestigious global competition, which celebrates creative professionals aged 30 or younger.

ADC Young Guns is widely regarded as the creative industry’s only global, cross-disciplinary, portfolio-based awards programme dedicated exclusively to identifying and recognising the next generation of creative leaders. The competition spans disciplines including design, illustration, animation, advertising, filmmaking, photography and other creative fields, providing a platform for emerging talent to gain international recognition.

This year’s finalists were selected by a jury of more than 100 creative professionals from around the world. The panel included many former ADC Young Guns winners, reflecting the programme’s long-standing role in nurturing and celebrating new creative voices.

The inclusion of three India-based finalists underscores the increasing visibility of the country’s creative community on the world stage. All three finalists are based in Mumbai, a city that continues to serve as a major hub for design, advertising, visual arts and creative entrepreneurship.

The ADC Young Guns 24 shortlist represents a geographically diverse cohort, with finalists coming from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR China, India, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Macao SAR China, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Taiwan, the UAE, the UK and the United States.

Winners will be announced in mid-January 2027, with the ADC Young Guns 24 awards ceremony and celebration scheduled to take place on 27 January 2027 at Sony Hall in New York. Those selected for the final Young Guns class will receive a specially designed version of the iconic ADC Young Guns Cube, created exclusively for this year’s winners.

In addition to the award, recipients will gain a permanent profile page on the ADC Young Guns website, a complimentary one-year membership to The One Club for Creativity, and lifelong membership in the ADC Young Guns network. Winners will also have access to a range of professional development opportunities, industry events and sponsor-led initiatives aimed at advancing their careers.

Over the years, the programme has built a reputation for identifying talent that later goes on to shape the creative industries. Alumni include Oscar-winning filmmaking duo DANIELS, known for Everything Everywhere All at Once, Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski, renowned graphic designers Stefan Sagmeister, Natasha Jen and Jessica Walsh, illustrator Christoph Niemann, fashion designer Kerby Jean-Raymond and numerous other influential figures across disciplines.

Adding a fitting creative touch to this year’s programme, the branding for ADC Young Guns 24 and the physical Young Guns Cube award were designed by Brooklyn-based illustrator and designer Chantal Jahchan, herself a winner in last year’s ADC Young Guns 23 competition.

For the three Mumbai-based finalists, the recognition marks a significant milestone and a chance to join a global community of emerging creative talent whose work is helping define the future of the industry.