We're with you to make IT happen: Karnataka to Animation industry

27th April 2010
 We're with you to make IT happen: Karnataka to Animation industry
A young visitor tries out a video tennis game at the Karnataka Animation, VFX and Gaming Summit in Bangalore April 23 ( IndiaTechOnline photo)

The Karnataka government plans to make the state the preferred destination for the nation’s animation and gaming industry. At the first- ever Animation Visual FX and Gaming summit (KAVG 2010) to be held in Bangalore, Principal Secretary, IT, BT and S&T, Ashok Kumar Manoli vouched for the state’s proactive help by way of development of educational resources; market development for small and medium players; infrastructure help by way of studios and venture capital. “These are a toddler’s first step”, he said – but pointed at Karnataka’s infrastructure and technology ecosystem as catalyst for rapid growth.
A state with 36 colleges of art including renowned institutions like the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath had the necessary talent that the animation industry needed for starters, suggested many speakers. Many of these institutions already included animation-oriented specializations in their curriculum . Parishath Principal R. H. Kulkarni said the Board of Studies was also processing a suggestion to include animation as an elective subject.
A.P. Parigi, former CEO of Radio Mirchi and currently a director on the Board of Bennet Coleman and Co, suggested that the state should sponsor a learning and development centre and also appoint a ‘process owner’ to oversee public initiatives in animation.

Ashish Kulkarni, CEO, BIG Animation ( now a Reliance company) steered a lively panel which examined  how  animation might bridge the urban -rural divide by unleashing the  artisanal talents of the 'other' India.

The promised policy document for the animation industry was not released – but by attracting top talent from the animation and gaming industry like Tata Elxsi, Dhruva Interactive ANTS Animation, Frameboxx Animations VFX, Paprikaas, Animation Xpress and ToonSkool, as well as pure IT players like HP, NVidia, IBM and Duxsoft; industry bodies like ASSOCHAM, government entities like KEONICS and academic agencies like Mysore University, and Manipal Education, to the one day event, joint organisers Karnataka Government and the Association of Bangalore Animation Industries ( ABAI) ensured a useful interchange of ideas that would help arrive at a useful policy statement within a few weeks. 

A.P. too

In a concurrent announcement from Hyderabad, the Andhra Pradesh government announced revival of plans to set up an Animation and Gaming City , with help from NASSCOM. This would host 2D and 3D labs, as well as incubation spaces for the industry .
India accounts for just 1 percent of the global animation and gaming opportunity estimated to be worth about $ 100 billion by 2012

Link to KAVG page: http://www.kavgsummit.in/

April 28 2010