Government and Netflix wrap up ‘Inspiring Innovators’ skilling drive

New Delhi: The Office of the principal scientific adviser to the government of India and the ministry of information and broadcasting have joined hands with Netflix to close out Inspiring Innovators – naye Bharat ki nayi pehchaan, a skilling initiative that blends storytelling with innovation, talent development and social impact.

Aligned with the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, the programme brings India’s innovation and creative ecosystems into one frame. Eight short animated films, created by students from universities across the country, showcase start-ups identified by the Office of the PSA for their work in socially relevant innovation.

The films were produced by students from institutions including the National Institute of Design, Chitkara University and the Satyajit Ray Institute of Film and Television, with voiceovers recorded by participants from Voicebox, a Netflix-NFDC skilling initiative. The project was implemented with Graphiti Studios, with mentoring support from NID Ahmedabad.

In all, 26 students took part in the programme, half of them women, with strong representation from tier-2 cities. Participants received hands-on exposure to real-world creative processes, from concept to execution. Adding a cultural flourish, the initiative’s original anthem was performed by students of the Shankar Mahadevan Academy.

L. Murugan, minister of state for information and broadcasting and parliamentary affairs, said initiatives such as this highlight how creativity can serve society. He pointed to India’s opportunity to take its stories to global audiences, as content, culture and creativity emerge as pillars of the Bharat economy.

Ajay Kumar Sood, principal scientific adviser to the government of India, said the programme reflected a holistic approach to building the innovation ecosystem. By linking start-ups, students, policy intent and industry mentorship, he said, the initiative connected skills development with real-world application.

Sanjay Jaju, secretary at the ministry of information and broadcasting, described the initiative as a marker of how storytelling is evolving into a platform for empowerment and skilling, particularly as India enters what he called the age of creators and AI-shaped narratives.

Mahima Kaul, director, global affairs at Netflix India, said the project underscored Netflix’s commitment to skilling India’s creative talent and recognising innovation that delivers tangible social value.

The culmination ceremony featured screenings of all eight films, live performances and addresses by senior representatives from government and partner organisations. The films are now available on Netflix India’s YouTube channel.

For the students and start-ups involved, the message is clear. When policy, creativity and platforms align, storytelling becomes more than content. It becomes a capability.