IICT Mumbai emerges as training ground for India’s creative tech talent

MUMBAI, March 5: For class 11 student Reeth, the path ahead is clear. She wants to build a career in animation and storytelling and believes she has found the right platform to shape that dream at the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) in Mumbai.

“I was so clear in my mind that I always wanted to do this. I had decided it when I was in class 8. Now I’m here, and I’m enjoying the process,” she told The Assam Tribune during an interaction at the institute’s campus.

Reeth is pursuing a two-year undergraduate diploma in Animation Film Design. To stay focused on her creative journey, she opted for open schooling alongside her professional course.

The IICT, located at the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) campus on Dr Gopalrao Deshmukh Marg, is India’s national centre of excellence for animation, visual effects (VFX), gaming, comics and extended reality (XR).

It operates in the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR) sector. Launched by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Maharashtra government, the institute aims to bridge creativity and technology.

The initiative was announced in early 2025 during the WAVES summit by Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Its first campus at the NFDC complex on Pedder Road was inaugurated on July 18, 2025, by the minister along with Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Veer Singh from Uttar Pradesh, a classmate of Reeth, had initially planned to pursue engineering. However, he changed course after learning about the institute.

“The facilities are excellent and every day is a learning experience for us,” he said.

During a media interaction facilitated by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Ninad Raikar, chief operating officer (COO) of the institute, outlined its academic structure and long-term vision.

The institute currently offers 18 specialised courses across animation, gaming, post-production and extended reality. These include six courses in gaming, four in post-production and eight in animation, comics and XR. Among the programmes are 24-month undergraduate diplomas in Animation Film Design, Interactive Video Game Design and Development, and Art and Science of Post Production and Visual Effects.

It also offers shorter diploma and certificate courses ranging from three to six months in areas such as 3D (three-dimensional) character design, visual effects mastery, cinematic virtual reality (VR) filmmaking, e-sports management and artificial intelligence (AI) filmmaking.

Raikar said the courses are designed in collaboration with industry partners to ensure students gain hands-on experience and relevant skills. The institute has partnerships with global technology and media companies including Google, Meta, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Apple, Adobe, YouTube, WPP and JioStar. These collaborations cover curriculum design, internships, placements, start-up incubation and scholarships.

“IICT is a visionary initiative by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting designed to empower the next generation with future-ready skills. With state-of-the-art infrastructure and real-time industry exposure, the campus creates an immersive learning environment that bridges education and industry,” Raikar said.

He added that the institute is encouraging more students to explore careers in the AVGC-XR sector and become leaders in their respective fields.

Salil Deshpande, faculty member in post-production, said the institute’s facilities are also open to independent filmmakers seeking high-quality output. “We are here to help Indian filmmakers and film students. If someone approaches us, we are open to help,” he said.

Deshpande has previously worked with Vice Media Group, Reliance Media Works, Red Chillies Entertainment and Prime Focus Ltd., and now consults studios on hybrid production models and AI-driven post-production solutions.

Another faculty member, Mukul Chakraborty, brings over two decades of experience in animation, having worked on projects for DreamWorks, Disney and Nickelodeon.

The institute’s permanent 10-acre campus is planned at Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari in Goregaon. According to Raikar, the institute’s work revolves around four pillars: academics and talent development, policy and industry development, innovation and start-up incubation, and research and knowledge creation.