Mumbai, Feb 28 (JKNS): A delegation of journalists from across the country visited the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT), Mumbai on Friday during a press tour facilitated by the Press Information Bureau, to gain first-hand insight into India’s emerging centre of excellence for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR).
IICT is being developed as a specialized higher-education institute to address the growing demand for skilled professionals in animation, VFX, gaming and immersive technologies. The institute aims to build a structured talent pipeline for the country’s expanding media and entertainment sector, often described as part of India’s “Orange Economy.”
Established in September 2024 as a National Centre of Excellence for AVGC-XR with a one-time budgetary support of 391.15 crore rupees, IICT operates under a public-private partnership model with industry bodies FICCI and CII. Its first operational phase began in July 2025 with 18 specialised programmes and over 130 enrolled students. A startup incubation centre on campus is supporting eight emerging creative technology ventures. A permanent 10-acre campus is under development at Film City, Goregaon. Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw, who has spearheaded the national vision behind IICT, has described the institute as a transformative intervention in India’s creative and entertainment landscape.
The visiting media delegation was briefed by IICT Chief Operating Officer Ninad Raikar, who outlined the institute’s vision and industry collaborations. He said the AVGC-XR sector is now central to film production, gaming, digital advertising and immersive storytelling. “IICT is a visionary initiative by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, designed to empower the next generation with future-ready skills,” he said, adding that the institute blends conceptual learning with hands-on studio exposure to ensure industry readiness.
He noted that IICT’s pedagogy blends conceptual learning with hands-on studio exposure, ensuring that students graduate not just with theoretical knowledge but with production-ready portfolios aligned to international standards. He said the institute currently had over 130 students, many of whom might otherwise have chosen engineering or allied streams but opted for creative technology programmes. “They were interested in both technology and visual media and saw institutes like IICT as credible professional options”, he said.
A major highlight of the visit was the screening of AI-assisted short films created by IICT students at the Rangayan Preview Theatre, a high-end screening facility built to global specifications. Journalists toured animation labs, VFX suites, gaming studios, immersive technology facilities and the Photogrammetry Studio, where live 3D scanning was demonstrated. Applications of augmented, virtual and mixed reality were showcased at the immersive studio lab. Analysts noted that industry-aligned training and consistent placements would be key to strengthening the social acceptance of creative technology careers.
The team also interacted with faculty members drawn from leading animation, gaming and post-production industries, as well as students enrolled in specialised diploma and certification programmes. The visit concluded with a detailed Q&A session and a group interaction with the IICT team leadership.
