MUMBAI: A new company had been incorporated in India, and not just any company—it’s one that promises to reshape the creative industries. Named the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT), it officially came into existence on 25 December 2024.
The IICT has been established as a Section 8 company under the Companies Act, which means it operates as a non-profit entity with a unique provision: it can transform into a different type of company under this act if its memorandum and articles are amended accordingly.
What truly caught my attention is the ambitious vision behind the IICT. The institute is being modeled after the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), but with a specialized focus. Instead of engineering, the IICT aims to become a center of excellence for AVGCXR—Animation, VFX, Gaming, Comics, Extended Reality, and even generative AI for video and visual arts.
At the moment, the IICT is using the National Film Development Corporation’s (NFDC) Mumbai office as its mailing address, as the initiative is being launched under the NFDC’s umbrella.
The Indian government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been placing a significant emphasis on promoting the AVGCXR sector globally. This push isn’t just about boosting creativity; it’s a strategic move to drive employment and revenue, both in domestic markets and through international collaborations, exports, and co-productions.
The vision for the IICT is clear: to create a hub for cultivating world-class talent. Just as the IITs are synonymous with producing top-tier engineers, the IICT is expected to train the best minds in creative and cutting-edge visual technologies. I learned that the institute is expected to develop further through a public-private partnership model, ensuring resources and expertise are pooled from diverse sectors.
As someone deeply immersed in the world of visual storytelling, I can’t help but feel excited about this initiative. The IICT isn’t just an educational institute; it’s a promise—a promise to transform India into a global powerhouse in the creative tech industries. The AVGCXR sectors are evolving rapidly, and this step feels like a bold move to keep pace with the future.
Only time will tell how this vision unfolds, but one thing is certain: the IICT is a venture worth watching.
