Instagram Rings 2026: Two Indian Creators Join Haaland on the Global Honour Roll

Follower counts didn’t decide this one. Instagram Rings 2026 has named its 25 winners, and two of them are Indian: model Bhavitha Mandava and freestyle footballer Muhammed Riswan.

Instagram Rings 2026: The Indian Winners

Bhavitha was discovered by Matthieu Blazy and has kept rising on the global fashion scene. Riswan has built an international following through his skills and creative content, giving India’s freestyle football community greater visibility.

Who Else Made the List?

The global list is a wonderfully mixed bag. It includes:

• Erling Haaland (@erling), footballer
• Jordan Firstman (@jtfirstman), comedian
• Little Simz (@littlesimz), rapper
• Salehe Bembury (@salehebembury), fashion designer
• Renell Medrano (@renellmedrano), photographer

What Are Instagram Rings?

Rings is Instagram’s award for creators who take bold creative chances. This is the second year, and only 25 creators are honoured. A panel of judges nominates and votes. The 2026 panel includes Donatella Versace, A$AP Rocky, FINNEAS, Chloé Zhao, Mikaela Shiffrin and Instagram head Adam Mosseri. Indian chef Vikas Khanna is also on the jury.

Winners don’t get cash. They get status and a few perks:

1. A physical ring, crafted with designer Emily Adams Bode Aujla.
2. A gold Stories ring around their profile picture.
3. Profile customisation, including a custom backdrop colour and like button.

Read more about the platform on Instagram’s Wikipedia page.

Why This Matters for India?

A fashion model and a freestyle footballer, both Indian, standing next to Haaland on a global list is a powerful signal. It shows that creativity from India, whether on the runway or the street, is being noticed worldwide.

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