The Central Government has launched the pilot phase of the ‘Gems of India’ Challenge, a new initiative to discover and support talented digital creators from across the country.
The program aims to help creators showcase the unique culture, history, tourism, and traditions of their districts through short videos.
The initiative is part of the government’s efforts to strengthen India’s growing digital creator economy and promote local stories on a national platform.
Built on the MyWAVES Platform
The challenge is based on MyWAVES, a citizen creator platform under WAVES OTT, launched by Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
MyWAVES allows people to create, upload, and share original content. With the launch of the ‘Gems of India’ Challenge, creators will now get an opportunity to tell the unique stories of their districts through digital storytelling.
According to Chanchal Kumar, Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, every district in India has a story worth sharing. This challenge aims to give creators a platform to bring those stories to a wider audience.
How to Participate
Creators can take part by uploading a 1 to 3-minute video through the MyWAVES section on the WAVES OTT platform.
The submission window for the pilot phase will remain open from August 1 to August 31, 2026.
Where Will the Pilot Phase Begin?
The first phase of the challenge will be held in:
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Arunachal Pradesh
Chandigarh
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
Goa
Ladakh
The initiative is being implemented with the support of Prasar Bharati, My Bharat, state governments, district administrations, and local educational and cultural institutions.
The Ministry is also working with YouTube and Meta to promote the challenge and encourage more creators to participate.
Prize Money Up to ₹5 Lakh
The challenge offers rewards at three levels:
District Level: Up to 20 creators from each district will be selected. Each winner will receive ₹50,000.
State Level: One top creator from each district will be chosen for the state award and will receive ₹2 lakh.
National Level: State-level winners will compete for the national awards, where each winner will receive ₹5 lakh.
Fair Selection Process
To ensure transparency, separate jury panels will be formed at the district and state levels. These committees will include experts from the fields of culture, tourism, heritage, media, and education.
Challenge to Expand Across India
After the pilot phase, the government plans to expand the ‘Gems of India’ Challenge to all states and Union Territories.
The long-term goal is to build a strong network of digital creators who can showcase the unique identity, culture, and heritage of every district in India through authentic and engaging content.
