First India edition on November 17 to bring together 5,000 guests, with Karan Johar as host

Mumbai, Oct 1: Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and Hollywood stars Rami Malek and Simone Ashley will be part of The Earthshot Prize 2026 Awards Night in Mumbai next month, where filmmaker Karan Johar will serve as host.

The ceremony, the first edition of the event to be held in India, will take place on November 17 and will bring together 5,000 guests. It aims to celebrate scientists, entrepreneurs, community changemakers, indigenous leaders and young innovators tackling environmental challenges.

The Earthshot Prize, founded by Prince William, backs solutions aimed at protecting and restoring the planet. India has already made its mark on the prize, with Indian innovations appearing among its winners and finalists in the past.

Besides Johar, Earthshot Ambassadors Robert Irwin and Nomzamo Mbatha will also take part. Singer Shreya Ghoshal will perform at the ceremony, which will be streamed exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories and in over 40 languages.

Speaking about the awards, Bhatt said they stand for "hope that comes with ideas, action and people who are finding new ways forward." In a statement, she added that people around the world are doing remarkable work to protect and repair the planet, often in ways that may never have been imagined, and that it feels special to see Mumbai bring them together. She said she is proud India is part of the moment and looks forward to celebrating the people behind the solutions and their work.

Tendulkar said the prize honours people who are turning bold ideas into meaningful action for the planet.

Malek said the finalists represent "stories of hope" and show that change is possible, while Ghoshal said she hopes her performance will amplify the spirit of optimism and collective action associated with the prize.

The 2026 edition features 15 finalists competing across five categories: Protect and Restore Nature, Clean Our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World and Fix Our Climate. Five winners will be announced on the night, each receiving a 1 million pound award to help advance or scale their solutions.

Johar said it is a privilege to host the ceremony in Mumbai, calling it a celebration of people working towards solutions for the planet.

The Earthshot Prize was founded by Prince William to drive a decade of environmental action and to identify and support solutions to the world's most pressing environmental challenges.

More celebrities taking part in the November 17 event are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.