Building on the success of its inaugural Mumbai edition, Anime India is expanding its footprint across the country with the announcement of Techno India as the official university partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026. This collaboration marks a pivotal milestone in Anime India’s vision to create large-scale, accessible, and community-driven anime experiences across India.
Set for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will debut as the festival’s first regional edition within its ambitious multi-city 2026 journey. Serving as the launchpad for the national circuit, the event will fuse Japanese pop culture energy with India’s expanding fandom across anime, manga, gaming, and pop culture.
As one of India’s most recognised educational networks, Techno India brings academic scale, youth engagement, and cultural relevance to the Anime India ecosystem. Through this partnership, Anime India and Techno India seek to bridge academia and fandom, empowering students and creators while fostering a more inclusive and connected anime community. Techno India’s growing engagement with creative and youth-centric initiatives further strengthens Anime India’s mission to democratise access to anime culture beyond geographical and language barriers.
Anime India Kolkata 2026, will feature cosplay championships, interactive community zones hosted by the Indian Gunpla Community and India-39 Vocaloid Community, curated culinary experiences including The Japan Curry, and fan-centric cultural spaces such as Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Competitive tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and other major titles will further enhance the event’s gaming offering.
Techno India executive director and chief innovation officer Meghdut Roychowdhury shared, “The institution is excited to come on board as the university partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026. This partnership will focus on fostering conversations around entrepreneurship in the creative industry, career pathways in gaming and design, and the future of creativity in India. I look forward to engaging with young creators and witnessing how the platform bridges students and industry, contributing to the growth of Kolkata’s creative economy.”
Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta said, “Anime India Kolkata showcases the evolution of anime as a cultural phenomenon and a driver of creative expression. Bringing together fans, creators, and industry leaders on one platform allows us to contribute to the future of India’s pop culture ecosystem.”
Adding to the global appeal, acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as the guest of honour, engaging fans through exclusive panels and live sessions.
The inaugural Anime India 2025 in Mumbai welcomed over 29,000 fans, establishing the festival as a major celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Building on this momentum, Anime India Kolkata 2026 is expected to attract over 40,000 attendees across two days, positioning it among the largest anime conventions in eastern India.
Anime India aims to unite fans nationwide and plans to expand to four key metro cities in 2026 Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad delivering world-class experiences while empowering creators and fan communities across India.
