Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting (I&B), Ashwini Vaishnaw has launched 25 challenges as part of the ‘Create in India Challenge – Season 1’ for the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES).
As per the Ministry, the initiative, aimed at promoting India’s cultural heritage and creative industries, reflects the Government’s commitment to nurturing talent and expanding opportunities in the media and entertainment sectors.
Speaking at the launch, Vaishnaw said that it is a reflection of our growing and evolving economy. A totally new creator economy has been created and the same is also recognised by the Prime Minister of India as reflected in the first-ever National Creators Award presented by him in March 2024.
Further, he noted that the creators’ economy has become a wonderful tool to showcase our rich cultural heritage, way of life, yoga, traditional medicine system, and diversity in our cuisines.
The Government of India is leaving no stone unturned to encourage this economy and therefore, we need to ensure the talent and skill development and availability of necessary infrastructure in this sector.
To further develop and advance the creators’ economy, the government is focused on creating talent development programs and infrastructure. There are plans to establish universities and facilities that will enhance the capabilities of creators in media and entertainment, he added.
Emphasising that filmmaking is one of our strengths, Vaishnaw mentioned that in today’s era there is a great scope of using new technology and tools in this sector thereby ensuring a good scope for employment generation. It is estimated that if successfully executed, the program can generate 2-3 lakh jobs in the sector.
At the same time, the Union Minister also reminded that we have to ensure that our society is not harmed in this journey and the responsibility lies not just with the government but also with society, industry and all of us.
To capitalise on the immense potential in this sector, WAVES is being organised and is set to emerge as a big phenomenon in the future, he added.
While speaking at the occasion Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of I&B, mentioned that this initiative is a significant milestone in our ongoing mission to nurture and elevate India’s creative ecosystem.
“It aligns seamlessly with our Prime Minister’s visionary call of ‘Design in India, Design for the World’ as articulated during his 78th Independence Day address,” he added.
Highlighting the immense potential and talent within our nation, he said that WAVES stands as a testament to this potential and will serve as a global platform where the brightest minds, most talented creators, and visionary leaders from around the world will converge to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and push the boundaries of creativity.
The 25 challenges, hosted by various leading industry associations, span a wide range of disciplines including animation, gaming, music, and visual arts. These challenges are being done in the run-up to the main event.
Each challenge is designed to harness India’s creative potential and contribute to the country’s growing stature in the global entertainment landscape. The 25 challenges under ‘Create in India challenges- season 1’ are:
1. Anime Challenge by Media and Entertainment Association of India
2. Animation Filmmakers Competition by Dancing Atoms
3. Game Jam by India Game Developer Conference
4. Esports Tournament by Esports Federation of India
5. City Quest: Shades of Bharat by E-gaming Federation
6. Handheld Educational Video Game Development by Indian Digital Gaming Society
7. Comics Creator Championship by Indian Comics Association
8. Young Filmmakers Challenge by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Whistling Woods International
9. XR Creator Hackathon by Wavelaps and XDG
10. AI Film Making Competition by InVideo
11. WAVES Promo Video Challenge Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation
12. TruthTell Hackathon by India Cellular and Electronics Association
13. Community Radio Content Challenge by Community Radio Association
14. Theme Music Competition by Indian Music Industry
15. WAVES Hackathon: Adspend Optimizer by Advertising Agencies Association of India
16. WAVES AI Art Installation Challenge by Internet and Mobile Association of India
17. WAVES Explorer by Internet and Mobile Association of India
18. Reel Making Challenge by Internet and Mobile Association of India
19. Film Poster Making Competition National Film Archive of India – National Film Development Corporation
20. Virtual Influencer Creation Contest by AVTR Meta labs
21. Battle of the Bands by Prasar Bharati
22. Symphony of India by Prasar Bharati
23. India: A Bird’s Eye View by Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited
24. Anti-Piracy Challenge by Confederation of Indian Industry
25. Trailer Making Competition by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
Additional Secretary, Ministry of I&B Neerja Shekhar, Director General, FICCI, Jyoti Vij, Vice Chairman, CII National Committee on Media and Entertainment, Biren Ghose was also among the dignitaries who attended the event.
