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Day 2 at Anigraph ’04: The industry participates
MUMBAI: No doubt that India is yet to witness an actual trade fair like MIPCom, but it was heartening nevertheless, to see some of the key players of Indian animation sit together for the plenary session at Day two Anigraph 2004.
Plenary session at Anigraph ’04 :Localisation of
Indian Animation
Amongst the panelists were Jadooworks COO Ashish Kulkarni, Animation Bridge CEO Biren Ghose, UTVtoons head Jyotirmoy Saha, Escotoonz CEO Aspi Mehta, 2nz CEO Kireet Khurana, Padmalaya’s Rajiv Sangari and Pentamedia’s Nirmala Nath. The topic discussed was ‘Localisation of Indian animation’. The panelists were of the opinion that globalisation not localisation was what would drive Indian animation ahead.
The plenary sessions were significant not because anything path breaking or new was discussed, but because of the fact that the industry figures came together under one roof to discuss issues. There is strength in numbers and the collective discussion augurs well for the industry.
Earlier in the day there were some wonderful presentations. IS Mathur an academic consultant, formerly with the NID and currently consultant to Zica asked the audience to differentiate between need based education and value based education. He stressed on the importance of 2D classical animation saying that new technologies and machines will come and go but the basics and fundamentals of animation remain the same. He compared 3D artists who claim to be animators as bathroom singers saying, “A professional singer needs to have a strong classical base, he needs to know the seven notes of music, similarly a professional animator needs to have a strong classical base and needs to know of all the processes involved in 3D.”
Mathur was also very vocal about the pathetic drawing skills in the country. Lamenting that 40 per cent of the institute’s time and efforts spent in teaching and brushing up drawing skills of students which could have been better spent for teaching animation film making skills.
The smug Biren Ghose gave a talk on the business of Animation. Coining new words such as ‘ANIMONEY’ (money made out of animation) and ‘5D’ (projects made by combining 2D + 3D). Ghose stated that intangible assets such as Goodwill, processes, knowledge and experience were the X factor needed for studios to succeed. Citing the example of Bazee.com which was recently taken over by Ebay on the basis of the intangible value and potential that had been created around the brand. The exuberant Ghose urged the audience to aspire, saying “While you work and earn money,devote some time to developing ideas. Do not limit yourself,” he said Kulkarni on Infrastructure
Jadooworks COO Ashish Kulkarni delivered a tight and focussed speech on how proper infrastructure was essential to smooth running of a studio. He stressed on the need for good infrastructure, the challenges one faced in setting it up and the benefits that accrue. Kulkarni had a cautionary note for studios that use pirated software saying that this led to unhealthy competition and under cutting. He also said that software makers in the US sometimes do approach clients asking them to shift outsourcing to other countries as piracy was rampant in India.
Kulkarni also stressed on the importance of owning licenses to a wide variety of software and the necessity of urging the workforce to be comfortable with all software. “This proves to be useful as each project demands a different treatment and requires technicians and animators alike, to be well versed with the various software.”
The two sessions on 2D and 3D animation delivered by Aargha Sengupta of Maya entertainment and Prince from ZICA were also very informative.
While Aargha demonstrated with illustrations the various elements of animation like anticipation, squash and stretch, Prince explained in detail on shapes and their psychological effects. He also discussed stereotypes and had many interesting illustrations (poetry too) to get his point across.
Indiantelevision.com’s Animation Express made an announcement inviting the students to share a sample of their best work. The illustrations (character or background) will be carried over a period of time in the forthcoming issues of the newsletter giving the students an opportunity to publicise their work.
As Day 2 neared to an end, one could see contented smiles on the organiser’s faces. They had promised a lot from the event and it seemed to be on course to deliver. Not solid solutions but at least a platform to seek them collectively.
It must be mentioned that CgA World held last month was a commendable effort too. The industry needs three to four more annual events like these to create what could be likened to an Indian animation grand slam.
Even as these workshops, tutor fests and conferences continue, One question still persists… When will India have its own animation trade fairs where actual business deals will take place?
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Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
