The government’s ‘Create in India Challenge’ (CIC) has drawn over 10,000 applicants, showcasing significant interest among content creators and innovators across India. Launched by the Information & Broadcasting (I&B) ministry as a precursor to the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) scheduled for November 20 in Goa, this initiative seeks to empower creators by offering them a platform to highlight their skills, monetize their talent, and contribute to the growth of India’s media and entertainment sectors. According to an official statement, CIC aims to enhance India’s cultural influence globally by promoting emerging local talent.
Initiated in late August, CIC allows creators to participate across various categories, including the Truth Tell Hackathon, Comics Creator Championship, Esports Tournament, Trailer Making Competition, Theme Music Competition, XR Creator Hackathon, AI Avatar Creator Challenge, and Anime Challenge, among others. Each challenge spans different aspects of the entertainment industry, such as broadcasting, music, advertising, social media, and emerging technologies like AI and virtual reality. This diversity provides creators from many sectors the chance to demonstrate their innovative skills.
To further promote CIC, roadshows were held in major cities like Hyderabad and Chennai, gathering a strong response from communities focused on gaming, animation, and visual effects. In Bangalore, the roadshow on October 5 attracted industry leaders and associations through partnerships with organizations like the Media & Entertainment Associations of India (MEAI) and the ABAI AVGC Centre of Excellence. The I&B ministry is also planning 28 international roadshows in countries like the US and South Korea to boost global visibility for WAVES and increase international collaboration with India’s creative industries.