Vijay Sethupathi not the FIRST Indian Emmy presenter? Prerna Wanvari questions the ‘first’ tag

Actor Vijay Sethupathi is set to present an award at the 54th International Emmy Awards in New York on November 23. However, the announcement has sparked a debate over reports describing him as the first Indian to present an award at the prestigious ceremony.

Actor Prerna Wanvari has disputed the claim, pointing out that Indian television personalities had represented the country at the International Emmys years earlier. Reacting to a report on Instagram, she recalled the appearances of actors Aashka Goradia and Simone Singh and shared a photograph of herself presenting an award at the ceremony in 2012.

“You got this so wrong! And before me were two iconic women @aashkagoradia and @realsimonesingh who were first to present at The International Emmys in 2009 and 2010,” Wanvari wrote.
Prerna Wanvari recalls earlier Indian presenters at International Emmys
In a subsequent interaction with Indian Television Dot Com, Wanvari questioned the research behind the reports. While acknowledging that Vijay Sethupathi's participation was worth celebrating, she said the claim that he was the first Indian presenter overlooked those who had appeared at the ceremony before him.

According to Wanvari, Simone Singh presented at the International Emmys in 2003, Aashka Goradia was among the presenters in 2009, and she presented the Arts Programming award at the 40th International Emmy Awards in 2012.

Her comments have brought renewed attention to the contributions of Indian television actors at the international ceremony and the importance of acknowledging their earlier appearances.
Vijay Sethupathi at International Emmy Awards 2026
Vijay Sethupathi's participation was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter India, which described him as the first Indian presenter at the International Emmys.

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The 54th edition will also feature Indian nominees in two categories. SonyLIV's ‘Real Kashmir Football Club’ has been nominated for Best Drama Series, while Vir Das' Netflix special ‘Fool Volume’ is competing in the Best Comedy Series category.

As Indian talent prepares to take the international stage, Wanvari's remarks have opened up a conversation about India's earlier representation at the awards.