The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, is pleased to announce the overwhelming response to the Create In India Challenge - Season 1 (CIC), a precursor to the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES). Building on the mission of WAVES, the Create In India Challenge brings this vision to life by providing a platform for creative expression and innovation.

CIC is aimed to have a profound impact on India’s Creators’ Economy, empowering content creators, and innovators to showcase their talents, monetize their skills, and contribute to the growth of the Indian media and entertainment industry. It enhances India's soft power, globally, and serves as a launchpad for India's emerging creative talent, propelling them towards global recognition.

Registrations for all the challenges are open on the WAVES website: https://wavesindia.org/challenges-2025

CIC: A Diverse platform for innovation

Launched on August 22, 2024, CIC has garnered significant traction nationwide and globally, with 27 challenges, including Truth Tell Hackathon, Comics Creator Championship, Esports Tournament, Trailer Making Competition, Theme Music Competition, XR Creator Hackathon, A.I. Avatar Creator Challenge, Anime Challenge, among others.

These challenges are spread across various sectors of the Media and Entertainment industry notably Broadcasting, Advertising, Music, AVGC-X,  Digital Media, Social Media, Films, Emerging Technologies and more.

CIC activities on a full swing

To promote nationwide participation, several successful roadshows were held in collaboration with industry associations. In Hyderabad on September 20, 2024, over 250 participants attended, including 50 industry professionals, with support from the India Game Developer Conference (IGDC). The Chennai VEGAS Fest on September 28 attracted more than 5,000 students emphasizing the importance of the AVGC sector, coordinated by FICCI. The Bangalore roadshow on October 5, co-hosted by the Media & Entertainment Associations of India (MEAI) and the ABAI AVGC Centre of Excellence (CoE), facilitated valuable interactions among 40-50 industry leaders and associations.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is also actively collaborating with upcoming media and entertainment events across India to enhance the outreach of the Create in India Challenge (CIC) Season - 1 and the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) by engaging a broader audience and maximizing the participation within India's creative industries

To date, the challenges have received over 10,000 registrations, with numbers growing daily. Building on its success, the Ministry of I&B is planning to host numerous roadshows across India, partnering with higher educational institutions to engage youth and students. This outreach seeks to inspire students and budding creators, helping them realize the potential of creative sectors like digital media, AVGC, and emerging technologies.

To further amplify the impact of WAVES and the Create in India Challenge, the Ministry is planning an extensive outreach campaign. This includes social media collaborations, domestic roadshows in approximately 28 locations across India and international roadshows in the United States, South Korea, and Japan. These events will foster collaboration, generate excitement, and attract global participation.

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Dharmendra Tewari/Kshitij Singha