Event Coverage
Government moving on Convergence Bill: Shourie
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MUMBAI: After well over a year in nowhere land, the Convergence Bill has got some oxygen pumped into its motor. Union minister for information technology and telecom Arun Shourie, responding to a question put to him by indiatelevision.com, said that the draft of Convergence Bill was being dusted out and “the effort was to try get it introduced in Parliament as soon as possible.” Shourie, however, said that 95 amendments have been suggested to the draft of the Bill in its present form and his ministry would be working to frame the rules anew. Shourie said that he would be meeting his officials next week in this regard.
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| When asked whether any timeline could be given as to when he expected the Bill to be introduced in Parliament, Shourie would offer no clues except to say that it would be done as soon as possible. From the tone of the conversation though, it looks unlikely that the Bill will be tabled in Parliament even in the next (Monsoon) session.
Shourie said once his ministry was ready with the framework of rules, the I&B ministry’s feedback would be sought before taking the matter further.
The Convergence Bill, aiming to have a policy framework for the convergence era, was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on IT and telecom in 2001 to examine the various clauses after being introduced in Parliament. The policy aims to have a super regulator for the IT, broadcasting and telecom sectors. The committee was headed by Communist Party of India’s Member of Parliament, Somnath Chatterjee. If India gets to enact this piece of legislation, it would only be the second country in the world, after Malaysia, to have such a convergence policy in place. |
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
