Instagram names 25 creators in 2026 Rings awards, two from India
Model Bhavitha Mandava and freestyle footballer Muhammed Riswan are among the honourees chosen by a judging panel.
Key facts
Story- Instagram has announced 25 winners of its 2026 Rings awards, recognising creators worldwide.
- Indian creators Bhavitha Mandava, a model, and Muhammed Riswan, a Kerala freestyle footballer, are on the list.
- The list also includes footballer Erling Haaland, rapper Little Simz and comedian Jordan Firstman.
Instagram has announced the winners of its 2026 Rings awards, naming 25 creators from around the world. Two of them are from India: model Bhavitha Mandava and freestyle footballer Muhammed Riswan.
Mandava, who posts as @bhavithamandava, became the first Indian model to open Chanel's Métiers d'Art show. Designer Matthieu Blazy spotted her, and she has since built a career across the global fashion industry.
Riswan, who goes by @riswan_freestyle, is a freestyle footballer from Kerala. His football skills and his content have drawn a wide international following, which has brought greater attention to freestyle football in India.
Advertisement
The wider list
The global list includes footballer Erling Haaland, comedian Jordan Firstman, rapper Little Simz, fashion designer Salehe Bembury and photographer Renell Medrano. The honourees work across fields such as fashion, sport, comedy, music and visual art.
Instagram started the Rings award in 2025. The company says it recognises creative expression across all formats, not one particular kind of content. The 2026 winners were picked by a judging panel that nominated creators and then voted on the final list.
The panel included Donatella Versace, A$AP Rocky, Chloé Zhao, FINNEAS, Mikaela Shiffrin, Adam Mosseri, Vikas Khanna and Eva Chen, among others.
What it means for Indian creators
For Indian users, the selection is a sign that a platform-wide award is paying attention to creators from India. Riswan's inclusion puts a spotlight on the freestyle football community in the country, while Mandava's work shows Indian talent reaching major international fashion shows.
The sources do not say what prize, if any, the winners receive beyond recognition.
Worth your time?
One tap helps idly bring you more of what matters.
Advertisement
