Nearly hundred people and organisations have participated in the WAVES Anime and Manga Contest, (WAM) held in Hyderabad this afternoon at the Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge (TASK). The Media & Entertainment Association of India (MEAI) along with Telangana VFX Animation and Gaming Association (TVAGA) has held the contest as part of its 11-cities event as part of the upcoming World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES), to be held next month in Mumbai. The contest is the first of its kind in the country, which is aimed at promoting young talent and nurturing homegrown talent, especially in emerging sectors like Anime, Manga, Webtoons and Cosplay. It also aligns with the Create in India vision of the Central Government.

MEAI secretary Ankur Bhasin informed that the competition is a movement to recognize the next generation of anime and manga creators in India. The organisers also expect to find some exceptional creators from the region as Hyderabad is a hotbed of animation and gaming talent. The competition was already held in Guwahati, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Delhi, Varanasi, Mumbai, Nagpur, Ahmedabad and Chennai while it is to be held in Bangaluru.

Chairman of the MEAI Susheel Bhasit said the winners in the competition will be sent for WAVES.

Senior retired IAS officer BP Acharya, who was one of the jury, said WAVES will help the country to project the country’s potential in the emerging sectors like animation on the world platform.

Speaking on the occasion, CEO of Telangana Academy of Skill and Knowledge Srikant Sinha said people should see animation and other related sectors as good careers and the WAM like events will help encourage the youngsters to take these actors as their careers.