Comic Con India and IICT Sign MoU to Advance Talent Development in the AVGC-XR Sector
Mumbai: In a move that bridges academia and the creative industries, Comic Con India and the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on initiatives across animation, gaming, comics, and extended reality (AVGC-XR). The agreement was signed by Ashish Kulkarni, Board Member, IICT, and Shefali Johnson, CEO of Comic Con India, during the inauguration of the IICT-NFDC Campus and the release of the WAVES Outcome Report in Mumbai.
The event was attended by senior government leaders including Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Honourable Chief Minister of Maharashtra; Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Honourable Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India; and Shri Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India.
Comic Con India is the country’s premier pop culture celebration and the largest platform for fans and creators of comics, gaming, animation, cosplay, movies, and all things geek culture. Since its inception, it has become a cultural phenomenon, bringing together millions of fans through annual events across multiple cities.Now part of NODWIN Gaming’s growing portfolio of youth-focused IPs, Comic Con India continues to champion original content and homegrown talent, playing a pivotal role in shaping India’s pop culture landscape and providing young creators with a vibrant stage to showcase their work.
IICT, a National Centre of Excellence exclusively dedicated to the AVGC-XR sector, was announced in May 2025 by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in collaboration with industry bodies FICCI and CII.
Positioned to be a game-changer for India’s creative industries, IICT is envisioned to follow the successful model of India’s prestigious IITs and IIMs, offering world-class education, training, and industry exposure to aspiring students.
This strategic partnership brings together Comic Con India’s legacy of building fan-first platforms for creators with IICT’s national mandate to foster next-generation talent across creative disciplines. The collaboration aims to offer students immersive opportunities to showcase their work, engage with industry leaders, and participate in real-world creative environments.
