“Visakhapatnam is fast emerging as a global hub for innovation. Anything created in the city today can reach audiences worldwide.”
— Kondapalli Srinivas
Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh Minister for MSMEs and NRI Empowerment, Kondapalli Srinivas, along with actress and Tamil Nadu BJP Vice President Khushbu Sundar, attended the Creative Economy Forum (CEF) South held in Visakhapatnam in early February 2026. The forum brought together policymakers, industry leaders and cultural entrepreneurs to deliberate on the expanding role of creative industries in India’s economic growth.
Organised by The Hans India and the Creative Economy Forum in collaboration with CEF, with HMTV and Bizz Buzz as media partners, the event was centred on the theme “Money, Markets and IP: Financing the Future of Films and Music.” Discussions focused on strengthening financial frameworks, intellectual property systems and market access for India’s rapidly growing film, music and creative sectors.
Addressing the concluding session, Minister Kondapalli Srinivas described creativity as a powerful economic force, stating that it is no longer just an idea but a key driver capable of placing regions on the global map. He underlined that innovative thinking has the potential to build strong and sustainable economies when supported by progressive governance and structured financing.
Praising Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for ushering in a technological revolution in Andhra Pradesh, Srinivas credited Naidu’s four-decade-long vision—particularly his early push for Information Technology between 1995 and 2004—for laying the foundation for the state’s growth.
He pointed to pioneering IT initiatives, agricultural reforms, micro-education programmes and reliable power supply as key enablers of development. Highlighting future-ready governance, the minister noted that Andhra Pradesh has rolled out 23 forward-looking policies across sectors such as artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, aeronautics and space technology, helping the state attract nearly 25 per cent of India’s total investments in the past year.
Emphasising the role of technology in the creative ecosystem, Srinivas said advancements now allow filmmakers and creators to shoot in one state while recording and post-producing content in another, reflecting seamless inter-state collaboration. Echoing this view, Khushbu Sundar said technology has erased traditional boundaries, enabling faster collaboration and wider global reach. She stressed that such progress must be backed by strong financial systems to propel India’s creative industries to global prominence.
Khushbu also highlighted that financial success is essential to enable philanthropy and build an inclusive and sustainable India, calling for institutional funding, structured financing and stronger market mechanisms to reduce uneven risk-sharing faced by creators.
Referring to Visakhapatnam’s growing stature, Srinivas said the city is fast emerging as a global hub for innovation, adding that anything created in Visakhapatnam today can reach audiences worldwide. Drawing from his own 17 years of experience in the IT sector, he noted that strong and original ideas naturally attract investment, and with multiple funding mechanisms now available, even innovators from remote areas have opportunities to pitch and scale their ideas.
The forum also saw participation from Telangana Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and featured speakers including CEF founder Supriya Suri and K. Hanumantha Rao, Managing Director of Hyderabad Media House. Discussions explored leveraging culture, food and tourism as key pillars of the creative economy, with a shared vision of positioning Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as hubs for creative and cultural enterprises.
