I&B Ministry Invites Grassroots Creators to Showcase District Culture, Heritage and Tourism on MyWAVES
Centre Launches 'Gems of India' Challenge to Discover India's Next Digital Storytelling Stars
BNH SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT 
New Delhi : In a major push to strengthen India's fast-growing creator economy and promote the country's rich cultural heritage, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) on Tuesday launched the Pilot Phase of the 'Gems of India' Challenge, a first-of-its-kind national initiative aimed at identifying, nurturing and promoting grassroots digital creators.
The initiative aligns with the Government's vision of empowering India's creative economy, often referred to as the Orange Economy, by providing a structured platform for young creators to showcase the unique identity of their districts through compelling digital storytelling.
Building on the success of MyWAVES, the citizen creator platform under WAVES OTT, the challenge encourages participants to produce authentic short videos highlighting their district's culture, heritage, tourism, traditions, history and local achievements.
Speaking on the occasion, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Chanchal Kumar, said every district in India has a unique story waiting to be told, and the challenge aims to empower creators while celebrating India's extraordinary diversity.
Entries Open from August 1
Creators can submit 1 to 3-minute videos through the MyWAVES section on the WAVES OTT platform between August 1 and August 31, 2026.
The pilot phase will initially cover Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Goa, and Ladakh.
The programme will be implemented in collaboration with Prasar Bharati, My Bharat, State Governments, District Administrations, and local cultural and educational institutions to encourage participation and support content creation.
YouTube and Meta Join the Initiative
Adding momentum to the campaign, global technology platforms YouTube and Meta have partnered with the Ministry to mobilise creators through their extensive digital ecosystems, helping the challenge reach aspiring content creators across the country.
Cash Awards up to ₹5 Lakh
The competition offers attractive rewards at multiple levels:
District Level: Up to 20 awards of ₹50,000 each in every district.
State Level: One outstanding creator from each district will receive ₹2 lakh.
National Level: Selected state winners will compete for National Awards worth ₹5 lakh each during the nationwide rollout.
District and State Jury Committees comprising experts from culture, heritage, tourism, media and academia will evaluate the entries to ensure transparency and quality.
Nationwide Expansion Planned
Following the pilot phase, the Ministry plans to expand the 'Gems of India' Challenge across all States and Union Territories, creating a vibrant national ecosystem of digital storytellers who celebrate India's diverse cultural and regional identities while strengthening the country's digital creator economy.
