Sri Vijaya Puram, Aug 20: Students and young digital creators across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are being encouraged to turn the region’s culture, heritage and community stories into digital content as the Awareness-cum-Orientation Workshops for the ‘Gems of India Challenge 2026’ expand across the Islands.
The initiative, being taken up by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, seeks to encourage emerging creators to document and present stories from their communities through videos, reels, podcasts, documentaries and other digital formats. The Islands are among six States and Union Territories selected for the pilot phase of the national challenge launched by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
A virtual awareness workshop was held on Wednesday at GSSS Oralkatcha, CRC Swadeshnagar, government senior secondary schools at Rangat, Sabari, Long Island and Malacca, as well as the offices of the In-Charge, Swaraj Dweep, and the Deputy Commissioner, Nicobars.
Resource persons from the Tourism Department joined the sessions through video conference and explained the objectives and opportunities available under the challenge. They also encouraged students to document stories from their respective Islands and communities.
The challenge provides creators from South Andaman, North & Middle Andaman and Nicobar districts with a platform to present the diverse identity of the Islands to a wider national audience. Participants can explore subjects including tribal culture, eco-tourism, local cuisine, traditional crafts, heritage, traditions, history and notable community achievements.
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting launched the pilot phase of the ‘Gems of India’ Challenge to identify, nurture and promote grassroots digital creators as part of efforts to strengthen India’s creative sector. Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Goa and Ladakh are the other five States and Union Territories included in the pilot phase.
Participants can submit original content of one to three minutes in formats including videos, reels, podcasts and documentaries. The submission window remains open from August 1 to August 31, 2026.
The challenge carries awards at district and State/UT levels, with selected entries subsequently competing at the national level. Each district can have up to 20 district-level awardees receiving ₹50,000 each. One exceptional creator from each district will receive a State/UT-level award of ₹2 lakh. During the subsequent national rollout, selected entries will compete for National Awards of ₹5 lakh each.
To participate, creators must download the WAVES OTT app, register using a mobile number and access the MyWAVES section to create a Creator Profile.
The Administration has urged students, youth and other creative minds across all three districts to use the platform to document the Islands’ heritage, traditions and achievements.
More Awareness-cum-Orientation Workshops are scheduled across other parts of the Islands on August 20 as the initiative continues to reach aspiring creators.
