Federal Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan yesterday said that India is at a pivotal moment where storytelling, creativity and culture are emerging as key pillars of Bharat’s economy, enabling creators to take Indian stories to global audiences.

Speaking at the culmination of ‘Inspiring Innovators – Naye Bharat Ki Nayi Pehchaan’ event, Murugan said initiatives like these demonstrate how creativity can be applied in service of society, aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Create in India, Create for the World’.

Murugan and other government officials were speaking at an event held in New Delhi to mark the culmination of a skilling initiative developed by the Indian government (Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser or PSA) in association with the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity and Graphiti Studios. The programme brought together India’s innovation and creative ecosystems to promote socially relevant innovation through storytelling and hands-on skilling.

Speaking on the occasion, MIB Secretary Sanjay Jaju, according to an official statement, said the initiative reflects the growing confidence and professionalism of India’s young creative talent and showcases how storytelling can evolve beyond content creation into a powerful skilling and empowerment platform.

Highlighting the age of creators and AI-led narratives, he stressed the importance of embracing emerging technologies to enable growth and progress for the next generation while taking India’s purpose-driven stories to audiences worldwide.

A PTI report quoted Jaju as saying that online streaming platform Netflix is changing a lot and has understood the kind of content India wants.

The skilling initiative showcased the work of eight Indian start-ups identified through the Manthan platform of the Office of the PSA for their social-impact innovations, the government statement elaborated, adding these innovations were translated into eight short animated films created by students from eight universities, including the National Institute of Design, Chitkara University and the Satyajit Ray Institute of Film and Television.

Voiceovers for the films were recorded by participants from Voicebox, a skilling initiative by Netflix in collaboration with the National Film Development Corporation, an MIB unit.

Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood said the programme was designed to highlight innovation with social relevance while strengthening skills and knowledge pathways.

Designed as a storytelling-and-skilling-led programme, ‘Inspiring Innovators’, the government statement said provided hands-on creative experience to 26 students from diverse regions, with women accounting for 50 per cent of participants and several students coming from tier-2 cities.

The students were mentored by experts from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad and Graphiti Studios, gaining practical exposure to industry processes. The programme’s original anthem was performed by students of the Shankar Mahadevan Academy.

The eight films feature innovations ranging from assistive mobility solutions and AI-powered smart glasses for the visually impaired to sustainable agriculture, waste management, marine safety and carbon-capture technologies. The films are available for viewing on Netflix India’s YouTube channel.

The Netflix Fund for Creative Equity supports such initiatives globally to build pathways for underrepresented communities within the entertainment ecosystem through training, skilling and access to opportunities.

Mahima Kaul, Director, Global Affairs, Netflix India, commented, “At Netflix, we are committed to the skilling and upskilling of India’s young and vibrant creative ecosystem. ‘Inspiring Innovators’ reflects a shared commitment to recognising innovation that delivers real social value.”