Prajakta Koli becomes first Indian on UN SDG Action Awards judging panel

Prajakta Koli has been named to the High-Level Panel of Judges for the 2026 Heroes of Tomorrow: UN SDG Action Awards, becoming the first Indian to serve on the panel and the sole Indian representative this year.

She will help evaluate more than 5,000 entries submitted from 190 countries. The global recognition programme is organized by the UN SDG Action Campaign and hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Prajakta, an actor, content creator, activist and bestselling author, is known for Netflix’s Mismatched. She also recently appeared in Netflix’s war drama Operation Safed Sagar. Her appointment continues the participation of prominent entertainment figures on the judging panel in recent years, including Nomzamo Mbatha, Sabrina Dhowre Elba, Merve Dizdar and Uğur Gallenkuş.

The 2026 panel features an international group of judges, including UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, UNDP Administrator and former Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs Felipe Paullier, Oxfam International Executive Director Amitabh Behar and Cannes Best Actress winner Merve Dizdar.

Now in its ninth year, the UN SDG Action Awards recognises initiatives across three categories: the Changemaker Award, the Creativity Award and the Resilience Award. Nine global finalists will travel to Rome, Italy, for a coaching and capacity-building programme before the awards ceremony on October 29, 2026. The event will be broadcast globally through UN WebTV and Italy’s national broadcaster RAI.

“I have always believed in the power of storytelling, creativity and young people taking charge. In a world facing so many big challenges, progress starts with people. The Heroes of Tomorrow are fearless and persistent changemakers using innovation, art and bold action against the odds to build a more sustainable, equitable and peaceful world.”

Prajakta has also been involved in youth and climate advocacy. She was featured on the inaugural TIME100 Creators list and serves as UNDP India’s Youth Climate Champion. In this capacity, she has represented young people at international platforms including COP28, the World Economic Forum in Davos, the United Nations General Assembly and Climate Week NYC.

The UN SDG Action Awards are produced in partnership with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Read more in our broader coverage: DPIFF News and DPIFF Newsroom.

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For a full background on the original announcement, you can read the original report.