Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw during the launch of ‘World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES)’ at the National Media Centre, in New Delhi.
| Photo Credit: PTI
The Union government is working on establishing world-class facilities in India to enhance the capabilities of creators in the media and entertainment sector, Information & Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Thursday.
Speaking at the launch of 25 “challenges” as part of the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES), Mr. Vaishnaw said the event reflected India’s new creators’ economy, which was also recognised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the first-ever National Creators Award ceremony in March 2024.
Highlighting its immense potential, the Minister said that the creators’ economy had become an effective tool to showcase the country’s rich cultural heritage, way of life, yoga, traditional medicine system, and diverse cuisines. The Union government is taking all possible steps to encourage this ecosystem, he said.
Creating new jobs
The government is focussed on creating world-class talent development programmes and infrastructure to enhance the capabilities of creators in media and entertainment, Mr. Vaishnaw said. Noting that film-making is one of the country’s strengths, he said that there is now huge scope for new technology and tools in that sector, ensuring substantial employment generation. It is estimated that if successfully executed, the programme could generate two to three lakh jobs in the sector.
The Union Minister said that there was also a need to ensure that society was not harmed in any way in the process, emphasising that this responsibility lay not just with the government but also with all stakeholders, including the industry and society.
Nurturing a creative ecosystem
I&B Secretary Sanjay Jaju, Additional Secretary Neerja Shekhar, FICCI Director-General Jyoti Vij, and Biren Ghose, vice chairman of the CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment, were among those who attended the event.
Mr. Jaju said that the initiative was a significant milestone in the government’s 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.
The first season of the ‘Create in India’ challenges, launched by the Minister, includes an Anime Challenge by Media and Entertainment Association of India; Animation Filmmakers’ Competition by Dancing Atoms; Game Jam by India Game Developer Conference; Esports Tournament by Esports Federation of India; City Quest: Shades of Bharat by E-gaming Federation; Handheld Educational Video Game Development by Indian Digital Gaming Society; Comics Creator Championship by Indian Comics Association; and Young Filmmakers’ Challenge by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry and Whistling Woods International.
