Arindam Paul wins Comic Con India's ICC 2026 Grand Champion title, takes home Rs 4 lakh prize

NEW DELHI: Arindam Paul was crowned the Grand Champion at the Indian Championship of Cosplay (ICC) 2026, organised by Comic Con India, winning a cash prize of Rs 4 lakh—the highest awarded in an Indian cosplay competition.

The national finale, held after qualifying rounds across multiple Comic Con India events, featured 11 finalists from across the country competing for the title.

Paul secured the championship for his recreation of the Fatalis Beta+ Armor from Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. A corporate professional by occupation, he said the costume took nearly a year to complete.

The competition also introduced two new award categories this year—Runner-Up and Fan Favourite.

The Runner-Up title went to Puia R. Siakeng from Aizawl, Mizoram, who received Rs 1.25 lakh for portraying Chen Stormstout from World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria.

The Fan Favourite award, decided through public voting, was won by Aryan Kapoor, also known as Yodha Props, for his portrayal of Plague Marines. The 19-year-old from Delhi received a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.

Shefali Johnson, CEO of Comic Con India, said the championship aims to provide a platform for cosplay artists to showcase their work and encourage more creators to participate in the growing community.

Comic Con India said the Indian Championship of Cosplay is part of its efforts to promote cosplay as a creative art form and provide national-level recognition to artists from across the country.