In January 2025, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Ministry of Tourism (MoT) and Ministry of Culture (MoC), jointly launched various initiatives such as: WAVES Bazaar; 3 Create in India Challenges; WAVES Awards, among others at the National Media Centre in New Delhi, Delhi.
- These initiatives were launched ahead of the 1st World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) scheduled to be held from February 5 to February 9, 2025 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
- During the event, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishanaw also announced new challenges aimed to promote films that explore Indiaâs rich tourism and cultural heritage. These challenges aim to promote creativity, innovation, and international participation.
Key People:
Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, MIB; Arunish Chawla, Secretary, MoC; Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and Gaurav Dwivedi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Prasar Bharati, among others were also present at the launch.
Key Initiatives Launched:
About WAVES Bazaar: Harnessing the potential of creative economy:
i.It is an e-Marketplace, designed to bring together creators, buyers, collaborators from across different sectors such as film, Television (TV), music and firms dealing in creative content at one platform.
- It aims to connect Indiaâs vast creative talent pool with global markets.
ii.The platform will enable users to showcase their content, pitch projects and engage in meaningful Business-to-Business (B2B) interactions that transcend geographical boundaries.
About 3 New Challenges under Create in India Challenges(CIC):
The main highlight of the event was the launch of 3 new challenges i.e. âWah Ustadâ, âMake The World Wear Khadiâ and âResonate: The EDM Challengeâ, under CIC.
i.Wah Ustad: This challenge is conceptualized by the MIB, driven by the âDilli Gharanaâ in partnership with the Ministry of Culture (MoC) and Doordarshan. It will provide a platform for young, classically trained vocalists to display their exceptional skills.
- This challenge is open for participants aged 18 years and above, including international participation.
- It is a two-phased competition culminating in a Grand National finale at WAVES 2025 whose registrations have been opened on the website of Prasar Bharti.
ii.Make The World Wear Khadi: This challenge is designed to invite advertising professionals and freelancers to develop innovative campaigns that help to position Khadi as an international brand.
- This challenge is open for international participation, which aims to promote Khadi within India and globally.
- The participants are required to explore innovative design concepts across different formats (example: digital, print, video, and experiential).
iii.Resonate: The EDM Challenge: It is hosted by the Indian Music Association (IMA). The challenge invites artists, composers, musicians, and performers from around the globe to showcase their exceptional talent in Electronic Dance Music (EDM) production. All nationalities are allowed to participate in this challenge.
About Create in India Challenges(CIC):
i.CIC, part of the WAVES, a flagship initiative by the MIB. It has witnessed over 70,000 registrations and counting.
iii.Till date, 31 Create in India Challenges have been launched out of which 25 are still open for registration with 22 attracting international participation.
About WAVES Awards:
i.As per MIB, WAVES Awards will start with nominations opening on February 15, 2025 .
ii.The awards feature categories like: Game of the Year, Film of the Year, and Advertising Campaign of the Year. It also features Special Selection Awards, honouring lifetime achievements and significance in various fields such as: technology and social influence.
About Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB):
Union Minister- Ashwini Vaishnaw (Rajya Sabha member- Odisha)
Minister of State (MoS)- Loganathan Murugan (Rajya Sabha member- Madhya Pradesh, MP)
