Bengaluru will lead gaming, animation industry in India: Priyank Kharge
Bengaluru, Aug 19: The future of gaming and animation in India is bright and Bengaluru is poised to be at the forefront, said Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Monday.
The government is committed to supporting startups and SMEs in the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR) sector and establishing the state as a global hub for AVGC, he said.
"Government is ready with funds and is willing to partner with anyone. In fact, I am seeing the AVGC industry as a foot in the door for electronics manufacturing for gaming accessories. So, it has the potential to create a parallel economy with respect to manufacturing as well," said Kharge, who holds the portfolio of Information Technology.
The minister unveiled the theme and poster for GAFX 2025, the 6th edition of one of India’s most eagerly awaited gatherings in the gaming, digital media, and entertainment industries, which will be held between February 27 and March 1, 2025.
The Gaming, Animation and Visual Effects (GAFX) is jointly organised by the Karnataka government and Association of Bangalore Animation Industry (ABAI).
At the curtain raiser for GAFX 2025, Kharge urged the participants to seize the opportunity to engage in valuable learning experiences, network with peers, and connect with mentors.
"Right now, the state’s 20 per cent AVGC market share is driven by around 300 specialised AVGC-XR studios employing approximately 15,000 professionals," he added.
Sharath Bacchegowda, Chairman of Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (KEONICS) who was also present at the curtain-raiser event said it is time for the industry to go beyond the back-end operations and create more India specific stories and content to revolutionise the industry.
He also talked about the efforts being taken by KEONICS to drive growth beyond Bengaluru.
"The initiative aims to proliferate digital economy growth in clusters beyond Bengaluru, such as Hubli-Dharwad-Belgavi, Mysuru, and Mangaluru. Each cluster focuses on specialised domains, with Mysuru emerging as a cybersecurity hub, Mangaluru excelling in fintech, and Hubbali-Dharwad-Belgavi becoming a center for AI, ML, IoT, and advanced manufacturing," he added.
Biren Ghose, president of ABAI and Managing Director APAC Technicolor Group said, "GAFX 2025 is both a celebration and an occasion to reward excellence as well as throw a spotlight on the future growth of the creative technology industry." According to him, the 6th edition of the GAFX will offer a platform for stakeholders to explore and strategise the growth potential of Karnataka’s digital media industry.
The other dignitaries at the curtain-raiser event included Sai Srinivas, co-founder of Mobile Premier League (MPL), Alfonso Tagliaferri, Consul General of Italy in Bengaluru, Hilary McGeachy, Consul General of Australia in Bengaluru and Vishal Dhupar, Managing Director of Nvidia.
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SC asks states to treat rising child trafficking cases as grave; seeks coordinated action
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court has voiced grave concern over rising cases of child trafficking, saying gangs are operating across the country and if States and Union territories do not take immediate action, thing will go beyond control.
The court said only the state government and its home department can act vigilantly in this regard.
“As a court we can monitor, but ultimately the action has to be on the part of the state government, the police, and other agencies. Therefore, this is our humble request”, a bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and K V Viswanathan said during the hearing of a plea on Wednesday.
The bench was irked over the "lackadaisical" approach of several states and UTs in implementing a 2025 judgment aimed at dismantling organised trafficking networks.
Justice Viswanathan said the retrieval of children in some cases proves the problem can be tackled, but it requires a level of political and administrative will which is lacking at present.
The verdict, delivered on April 15, 2025, had mandated several institutional reforms, including completion of trials in trafficking cases within six months on a day-to-day basis.
It had also directed strengthening of Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) and improving investigation standards.
Besides asking for setting up of state-level committees to monitor vulnerable trafficking hotspots, it had asked the authorities to treat missing children cases as trafficking unless proven otherwise.
Earlier, the bench had termed the compliance reports filed by a few states as "nothing but an eye wash."
On Wednesday, the bench noted that Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Haryana, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Odisha, and Punjab had still failed to file reports in the prescribed format.
When the home secretary of Madhya Pradesh offered an apology for the lapse, the bench granted a "final opportunity" but warned that continued failure would lead to states being officially branded as "defaulting".
The bench noted that at least 15 states are yet to constitute review committees mandated to identify and monitor trafficking-prone areas.
The matter will now be heard on April 29.
