The Chief Minister's Office of Assam announced on Tuesday, 23 June 2026 that Kunal Khambati, Co-founder and COO of Zomato Live, called upon Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma to discuss the state's growing concert economy and tourism-driven investment opportunities.

Context

The meeting centred on how Assam can leverage its cultural assets and rising appetite for live entertainment to attract private-sector investment. Zomato Live, the events vertical of the Indian technology major Zomato, has been expanding its footprint in concerts and experiential tourism across the country. The discussion, according to the Chief Minister's Office, focused on 'paving the way for greater investment, employment and economic growth.'

Khambati and Dr. Sarma explored how the concert economy — a segment that bundles ticketed performances, hospitality, and travel — could serve as a catalyst for broader economic activity in the northeastern state.

Policy Backdrop

The Assam government has been repositioning the state as a destination for cultural and entertainment tourism under its 'Awesome Assam' brand, which has sought to draw private investment into events and hospitality infrastructure. Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has served as Chief Minister since 2021, has made investment attraction and economic diversification central pillars of his administration's agenda.

The outreach to Zomato Live mirrors a broader national pattern in which state governments are actively courting private entertainment firms to capture a share of India's fast-expanding live events market. Employment generation through such private-sector partnerships has been a stated priority across several northeastern states.

Stakeholders and Impact

Tourism operators, event management companies, and local youth stand to benefit most directly from any deepened collaboration between the Assam government and Zomato Live. A stronger concert economy can generate ancillary demand in hospitality, transport, and retail — sectors that employ a large proportion of the state's workforce.

For Zomato Live, Assam represents an opportunity to expand its geographic reach beyond metropolitan markets, tapping into the state's distinct cultural festivals and growing urban audiences in cities such as Guwahati. The partnership signals that tier-2 and tier-3 markets in the northeast are increasingly on the radar of major entertainment platforms.

What's Next

Observers will watch for concrete follow-through — including any announcements on concert infrastructure development, streamlined event permissions, or venue investment — that could convert this high-level meeting into tangible economic outcomes. The Assam government's track record of hosting large-scale events suggests institutional appetite for scaling up the live entertainment ecosystem.

If a formal partnership or investment commitment materialises, it could position Assam as a model for how northeastern states can diversify their economies through cultural and entertainment-led growth, offering a template that other states in the region may look to replicate.