Centre Launches ‘Gems of India’ Challenge for Digital Creators
Pilot initiative invites creators to showcase their districts on MyWAVES; YouTube and Meta join as partners
- Ministry of Information & Broadcasting launches pilot phase of the ‘Gems of India’ Challenge.
- Digital creators can upload 1–3 minute videos on MyWAVES from August 1 to 31.
- District, State and National awards of up to ₹5 lakh announced.
- YouTube, Meta, states and district administrations to support the initiative.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 22nd July: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Tuesday launched the pilot phase of the ‘Gems of India’ Challenge, a nationwide initiative aimed at identifying, nurturing and promoting grassroots digital creators while showcasing the unique culture and heritage of India’s districts.
The challenge, built on the MyWAVES citizen creator platform under WAVES OTT, invites creators to produce one to three-minute videos highlighting the culture, tourism, traditions, history and achievements of their respective districts.
The submission window for the pilot phase will remain open from August 1 to August 31, 2026.
The initiative is part of the government’s efforts to strengthen India’s growing Orange Economy and expand opportunities for digital content creators under the broader vision of Digital India.
The pilot phase will be implemented across Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Goa, and Ladakh, with support from Prasar Bharati, My Bharat, state governments, district administrations, educational institutions and cultural organisations.
Information and Broadcasting Secretary Chanchal Kumar said every district has a unique story waiting to be told and the initiative provides young creators with a platform to showcase India’s diversity through authentic digital storytelling.
To expand the programme’s reach, the ministry has partnered with YouTube and Meta, which will mobilise creators through their respective digital ecosystems.
The challenge offers awards at multiple levels. At the district level, up to 20 creators in each district will receive ₹50,000 each. One creator from every district will then be selected for a ₹2 lakh State Award, while winners selected during the national rollout will compete for National Awards of ₹5 lakh each.
District and State jury panels comprising experts from culture, tourism, heritage, media and academia will evaluate the entries.
The ministry said insights from the pilot phase will be used to expand the initiative across all States and Union Territories, with the long-term objective of building a vibrant nationwide ecosystem of digital creators celebrating the identity and heritage of every district in India.
