Gems of India Challenge Pilot Phase Launched by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
UPSC / SSC current affairs note · Economy
Why in news
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has launched the pilot phase of the 'Gems of India' challenge to identify, nurture, and promote grassroots digital creators across India. This initiative aims to strengthen India's creative sector and boost the orange economy, with submissions opening on 1 August 2026 via MyWAVES platform.
Background
The challenge is part of the government's ongoing efforts to democratize technology access and foster innovation under Digital India. It builds on the MyWAVES platform, a citizen creator platform under WAVES OTT, launched by Union Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw to enable citizens to create and share original content.
Key facts
The 'Gems of India' challenge pilot phase was launched on 21 July 2026 by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Submissions for the pilot phase are open from 1 August 2026 to 31 August 2026 on the MyWAVES section of the WAVES OTT platform.
Creators must submit 1-3 minute videos showcasing their district's culture, heritage, tourism, traditions, history, or achievements.
The pilot phase covers 7 regions: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, Goa, and Ladakh.
Partners include YouTube and Meta, which will leverage their creator ecosystems to promote the challenge.
District-level prizes: up to 20 awards of ₹50,000 each per district.
State-level prizes: one creator per district selected for a ₹2 lakh state-level award.
National-level prizes: selected entries from states receive ₹5 lakh national awards.
District and state-level jury committees will be formed by respective administrations for fair evaluation.
The challenge is run in collaboration with Prasar Bharati, My Bharat, and state/district administrations.
Prelims pointers
- Gems of India Challenge
- MyWAVES platform
- WAVES OTT
- Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
- Pilot phase regions: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, Goa, Ladakh
- Partners: YouTube, Meta
- Orange economy
- Digital India
- Prasar Bharati
- My Bharat
Mains angles
- Discuss the role of government initiatives like 'Gems of India' in promoting the orange economy and grassroots creativity.
- Critically examine the potential of digital platforms like MyWAVES in democratizing content creation and preserving local culture.
- Analyze the challenges in implementing a nationwide digital creator challenge across diverse regions with varying digital access.