Digital
India powers up nationwide AI literacy with Yuva AI
MUMBAI: ‘AI for the people, by the people, for the people— India is switching on a national reboot. In a move that blends inclusion with innovation, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has launched ‘Yuva AI for all’ , a free, beginner-friendly course designed to give every citizen a clear, no-nonsense introduction to artificial intelligence.’
Rolled out under the IndiaAI Mission, the programme aims to train one crore learners in foundational AI skills: an ambitious target, but one the government believes is achievable thanks to the course’s short, accessible 4.5-hour format. Think weekend learning, not tech marathon.
Available on Futureskills prime, igot Karmayogi and select ed-tech platforms, the course has been pitched as India’s first mass-scale AI literacy module. Every participant earns an official Government of India certificate, adding a neat career-friendly credential to student and professional profiles.
The content spans six compact modules, covering what AI is, how it works behind the screen, how it shapes daily life, and how to use it responsibly. Real-world Indian examples keep the lessons grounded, while the final module looks at career opportunities emerging in an AI-powered economy.
Inside the course, learners can expect to: understand how AI systems make decisions, explore use cases in education, creativity and the workplace, learn safe and responsible AI practices, study India-specific applications and discover new career pathways shaped by AI.
Crucially, the programme isn’t trying to turn novices into engineers. It’s designed to strip away the fear and jargon surrounding AI, something many first-time learners struggle with. The bite-sized design is meant to welcome the curious, the cautious and the completely new.
Meity says the initiative is central to India’s push for an AI-ready workforce, complementing other IndiaAI Mission projects across infrastructure, skilling and developer tools. The curriculum has been developed by AI expert Jaspreet Bindra, who has woven global learning with India’s cultural and economic context.
Bridging the digital divide is another key objective. As AI tools seep into everyday life, from chatbots to photo apps, millions still remain unsure of how the technology actually operates. A free national course helps demystify the subject just as concerns around misinformation and AI safety continue to rise.
Enrolment is open to everyone, with no eligibility criteria. Learners can simply sign in on Futureskills Prime or igot Karmayogi and begin.
Digital
Content India 2026 opens with a copro pitch, a spice evangelist and a £10,000 prize for Indian storytelling
Dish TV and C21Media’s three-day summit puts seven ambitious projects before an international jury, and two walk away with serious development money
MUMBAI: India’s content industry gathered in Mumbai this March for Content India 2026, a three-day summit organised by Dish TV in partnership with C21Media, and it wasted no time making a statement. The event opened with a Copro Pitch that put seven scripted and unscripted television concepts before an international panel of judges, and by the end of it, two projects had walked away with £10,000 each in marketing prize money from C21Media to support development and international promotion.
The jury, comprising Frank Spotnitz, Fiona Campbell, Rashmi Bajpai, Bal Samra and Rachel Glaister, evaluated a shortlist that ranged from a dark Mumbai comedy-drama about mental health (Dirty Minds, created by Sundar Aaron) to a Delhi coming-of-age mystery (Djinn Patrol, by Neha Sharma and Kilian Irwin), a techno-thriller about a teenage gaming prodigy (Kanpur X Satori, by Suchita Bhatia), an investigative crime drama blending mythology and modern thriller (The Age of Kali, by Shivani Bhatija), a documentary on India’s spice heritage (The Masala Quest, hosted by Sarina Kamini), a documentary on competitive gaming (Respawn: India’s Esports Revolution, by George Mangala Thomas and Sangram Mawari), and a reality-horror competition merging gaming and immersive fear (Scary Goose, by Samar Iqbal).
The session was hosted by Mayank Shekhar.
The two winners were Djinn Patrol, backed by Miura Kite, formerly of Participant Media and known for Chinatown and Keep Sweet: Pray & Obey, with Jaya Entertainment, producers of Real Kashmir Football Club, also attached; and The Masala Quest, created and hosted by Sarina Kamini, an Indian-Australian cook, author and self-described “spice evangelist.”
The summit also unveiled the Content India Trends Report, whose findings made for bracing reading. Daoud Jackson, senior analyst at OMDIA, set the tone: “By 2030, online video in India will nearly double the revenue of traditional TV, becoming the main driver of growth.” He noted that in 2025, India produced a quarter of all YouTube videos globally, overtaking the United States, while Indians collectively spend 117 years daily on YouTube and 72 years on Instagram. Traditional subscription TV is declining as free TV and connected TV gain ground, forcing broadcasters to innovate. “AI-generated content is just 2 per cent of engagement,” Jackson added, “highlighting the dominance of high-quality human content. The key for Indian media companies is scaling while monetising effectively from day one.”
Hannah Walsh, principal analyst at Ampere Analysis, added hard numbers to the picture. India produced over 24,000 titles in January 2026 alone, with 19,000 available internationally. The country now accounts for 12 per cent of Asia-Pacific content spend, up from 8 per cent in 2021, outpacing both Japan and China. Key exporters include JioStar, Zee Entertainment, Sony India, Amazon and Netflix, delivering over 7,500 Indian-produced titles abroad each year. The top importing markets are Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, the United States and the Philippines. Scripted content dominates globally at 88 per cent, with crime dramas and children’s and family titles performing particularly strongly.
Manoj Dobhal, chief executive and executive director of Dish TV India, framed the summit’s ambition squarely. “Stories don’t need translation. They need a platform, discovery, and reach, local or global,” he said. “India produces more movies than any country, our streaming platforms compete globally, and our tech and creators win international awards. Yet fragmentation slows growth. Producers, platforms, and tech move in different lanes. We need shared spaces, collaboration, and an ecosystem where ideas, technology, and people meet. That is why we built Content India.”
The data, the pitches and the prize money all pointed to the same conclusion: India is not waiting for the world to discover its stories. It is building the infrastructure to sell them.
