Mumbai (PIB)-A five-member jury panel has been announced to select the semi-final winners of the ongoing Comics Creator Championship being organized as part of the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) which will be held in Mumbai from 1st to 4th May, 2025. The WAVES Comics Creator Championship, a joint initiative of the Indian Comics Association (ICA) and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), Government of India, is part of the “Create in India Challenge,” a program of government of India to promote Indian creativity and innovation globally.
The semi-finalists for the championship have already been announced. The jury panel, which includes industry legends who have shaped the Indian comics landscape, will now select the winners by evaluating the semi-finalists’ entries. The selected 10 finalists will then compete at WAVES in Mumbai.
Speaking about the jury panel, Ajitesh Sharma, President, ICA, said that the members’ expertise and passion for comics would ensure that the championship sets a new standard for excellence in Indian comics. “We are honored to have such an esteemed jury panel on board,” he said.
The Jury Members
- Dilip Kadam, a renowned comic artist and illustrator, brings his vast experience and expertise to the table. With a career spanning multiple decades, Dilip Kadam has worked with various leading publishers and has been instrumental in creating some of India’s most beloved comic characters, including Bhokal.
- Nikhil Pran, son of legendary cartoonist Pran Kumar Sharma and a renowned comic creator himself, adds a unique perspective to the panel. Pran’s work has been influenced by his father’s iconic creations, such as Chacha Chaudhary and Sabu, and he has carried forward the legacy with his own innovative storytelling.
- Jazyl Homavazir, an award-winning animation professional and the creator of The Beast Legion, India’s first and longest-running web manga, which recently won the Ann award, brings a fresh and innovative approach to the contest.
- Sanjay Gupta, founder of Raj Comics and creator of India’s most popular superheroes, Nagraj, Doga, Bhokal, Bheriya, and many others, provides valuable insights into the industry’s trends and demands.
- Preeti Vyas, President and CEO of Amar Chitra Katha, rounds out the panel with her extensive knowledge and experience in the content ecosystem. Vyas’s work has spanned multiple genres, from mythology to picture books to early chapter books.
WAVES Comics Creator Championship
The WAVES Comics Creator Championship was launched by the ICA in collaboration with the MIB in August 2024 with a motto of discovering and encouraging the next generation of Indian comic creators. The championship is an initiative aimed at creating a new era in the Indian comics by nurturing innovation, creativity, and a passion for storytelling.
About WAVES 2025
WAVES 2025 is a global summit scheduled to be held at Jio Convention Centre in Mumbai from 1st May to 4th May 2025, aimed at fostering innovation, creativity, and collaboration in the media, entertainment, and technology sectors. The summit will bring together creators, industry leaders, and investors to explore new opportunities in animation, gaming, visual effects, and XR (Extended Reality). With a vision to position India as a global powerhouse in the AVGC-XR sector, WAVES 2025 promotes skill development, entrepreneurship, and cross-border collaborations.