India Nightlife Convention and Awards 2018 Concludes 3rd Edition

by  EVENTFAQS Bureau Business Events | September 21, 2018 | News

Kickstart Entertainment

The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) and Kickstart Entertainment in association with Budweiser Experiences and Johnnie Walker – The Journey executed the 3rd Edition of the India Nightlife Convention and Awards (INCA) on September 15 and 16, 2018 at Shangri-La’s Eros, Janpath, New Delhi. The convention not only showcased the ever-evolving and dynamic nightlife culture by highlighting the industry’s accomplishments but also promoted a sense of brotherhood among the industry’s most influential hospitality entrepreneurs and specialists.

Endorsing the nightlife culture in India, stalwarts of the hospitality industry such as Riyaaz Amlani, AD Singh, Rahul Singh, Chef Manu Chandra, Chef Vicky Ratnani, Chef Saransh Golia, Sumesh Menon and other influential individuals came together to mingle, imbibe a sense of fraternity and showcase the best that the Indian bars and nightlife have to offer for this 2 day national business convention.

Day 1 started with the ‘30under30’ workshop. It was a very informative and interesting roundtable workshop that brought together young stakeholders from India’s music, nightlife  and  hospitality scene to build a constructive and informative dialogue about the future on nightlife culture in the country. The workshop was hosted by Lutz Leichsenring (Club  Commisioner , Berlin and Co-Founder of VibeLab). The topics discussed included Access to decision makers, Framework conditions, Awareness, Education, Community building, protecting creative space and Operating a cultural public or private venue. The workshop tuned out to be extremely results-driven and collaborative in nature. A lot of fresh ideas and perspectives were shared and INCA is now looking forward to  streamline  the thoughts and find ways to put them into action. A comprehensive set of City Awards were awarded at the end of the Day 1. 

The second day on the convention was led by moderators like Rahul Singh (President, NRAI), Chef Saransh Goila, Faye D’Souza (Executive Editor, MIRROR NOW)  and Deepali Gupta (Co-Founder, Slate Consulting/Author – Times Nightlife Guide). The last panel of the day was led by Sourish Bhattacharya (Independent Journalist) along with thought leaders like Riyaaz Amlani (CEO & MD, Impresario Hospitality Pvt Ltd), A.D Singh (Managing Director, Olive Bar & Kitchen Pvt Ltd), Priyank Sukhija (CEO & MD, First Fiddle F&B Pvt Ltd) and Kishore DF (Owner and Director – Another Drop Hospitality). 

Speaking on the third edition of INCA concluding, Aman Anand, Director, Kickstart Entertainment, remarked “The aim behind INCA has been to build a coalition for the nightlife industry across India. The Convention wasn’t just disruptive in vision but also in endeavor and method to bring together the industry. We recognized the integral role that social media played in today’s largely digital world, and used it to identify our 30 Under 30.”

Rahul Singh, Founder -The Beer Café & President- NRAI said, “Through INCA, we wanted to reach out to the policymakers to address concerns to make a more progressive and compliant system that boosts entrepreneurial drive for enhancing the nightlife industry. India’s F&B industry has seen explosive growth in the last few years. Factors like a largely youthful demographic, increasing disposable income, higher exposure to international trends and changing consumer lifestyles have increased demand for a buoyant nightlife, and this growth shows no signs of abating anytime soon. Nightlife adds personality to communities; helps bring people together and have an enormous social impact on the liveability index of a city. 

“Nightlife is an integral part of the cultural landscape of our country, and the third edition has been a success in recognizing and celebrating thought leadership in hospitality and nightlife entertainment space,” said Riyaaz Amlani, CEO and MD, Impresario Entertainment and Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. 

This year the presenting partners for INCA were Budweiser Experiences and Johnnie Walker – The Journey. 

Speaking on the conclusion of the 3rd Edition of INCA, Ben Verhaert, President – India, AB InBev said, “It has been a delight to partner with INCA once again this year as we look back collectively to foster and shape the growing contribution of the nightlife industry in the country today. Budweiser has always been at the forefront of shaping the music culture in the country and engaging consumers through world-class experiences around celebration and nightlife. We look forward to recognize the best in the industry for their contribution and continue to support the ecosystem going forward”     

Expressing his excitement, Abhishek Shahabadi, VP and Portfolio Head, Marketing, Premium and Luxury, Diageo India remarked, “It has been a pleasure to be associated with INCA that celebrates and recognizes one of the most spirited and fastest growing industries in India for the last three years. The platform has helped create cultural perception and elevate lifestyle catalogue of the city. Congratulations to all the winners and we hope these awards will continue to inspire people to engage with consumers through world-class experiences.”