Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Launches Pilot Phase of 'Gems of India' Challenge to Promote Grassroots Digital Creators

Key facts

• The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting launched the Pilot Phase of the 'Gems of India' Challenge on July 21, 2026.
• The challenge aims to identify, nurture and promote grassroots digital creators from across the country.
• Creators can submit videos of 1 to 3 minutes showcasing their district's culture, heritage, tourism, traditions, history and achievements via the MyWAVES platform on WAVES OTT.
• The submission window for the Pilot Phase is from August 1 to August 31, 2026.
• The pilot covers Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Goa, and Ladakh.
• Awards include up to 20 district-level awards of ₹50,000 each per district, state-level awards of ₹2 lakh per district, and national awards of ₹5 lakh each.
• The Ministry is collaborating with YouTube and Meta to mobilise creator communities and extend outreach.
• The initiative builds upon MyWAVES, a citizen creator platform launched by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw under WAVES OTT.