Icons Shankar Mahadevan, Usha Uthup, Sham Kaushal light the path thru IICS for India’s aspiring young creators

“This is the moment for India's young creators,” said genius singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan, and he continued, “It is time to turn your passion into a profession. And the Indian Institute of Creative Skills is the bridge that makes this possible. As someone who started with just a dream, I know what it means to have the right guidance. IICS is that guiding light.”

Made for Media’ by Indian Institute of Creative Skills (IICS) becomes a national call to action for aspiring creators

That sentiment set the tone for the day as a full house of young dreamers gathered to witness the convergence of India’s creative legends, educators, and visionaries at ‘Made for Media’—a national conclave that was as much a celebration as it was a movement.

Hosted by the Indian Institute of Creative Skills (IICS), India’s first industry-led creative incubator, and supported by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, the NSDC Academy, and the Media & Entertainment Skills Council (MESC), the event celebrated the power and purpose of structured creative skilling.

Leading the celebration with charm and wit were the charismatic yet macho Aparshakti Khurana and the ever-graceful yet vivacious Vandana Vadhera, who anchored the event and kept the momentum alive through every moment of magic and meaning.

Amazing singer Usha Uthup opened the proceedings with a stirring Ganesh Vandana, invoking divine blessings for new beginnings. She was followed by Shankar singer Mahadevan’s soulful Saraswati Vandana, a moment that filled the space with reverence and artistic grace. What came next was a burst of energy and imagination — a vibrant, high-octane performance by Sangeet Haldipur, Anusha Mani, and the Illuminati Group that brought the audience to its feet.

But the power of the conclave lay not just in its performances, but in the people behind them. From Rahul Rawail to Neeta Lulla, from Aparshakti Khurana to  Anusha S. Iyer, from RS Prasanna, Kiran Juneja, Anuradha Tiwari, Roshni Sehgal, Barnali Ray Shukla, Pooja Arora, Ashish Behl,  Sushma Gaikwad, Ketki Pandit, Rashmi Menon, Anand Jha, Sabbas Joseph, Lalita G,  and many others — mentors from every corner of the media and entertainment industry stood united in one call: to guide and mentor the next generation.

Their message was personal, heartfelt, and universal — come and learn from us. Come, use our journeys as your shortcut. Come, transform your passion into your livelihood.

“Don’t reinvent the wheel,” said Oscar Awardee sound-wizard Dr. Resul Pookutty. “Learn from our mistakes, build on our knowledge, and go further than we ever could.”
Mohit Soni added, “This is not just a campus or a classroom. The Indian Institute of Creative Skills is a national mission to bring dignity, structure, and sustainability to creative careers. We’re not just creating skilled individuals — we're building India’s next generation of storytellers, leaders, and cultural ambassadors.”
And as senior versatile actor Amit Behl passionately stated, “We need to break the myth that art is accidental and talent alone is enough. Skilling is the spine of performance — whether you’re on stage, behind a mic, or in front of a camera. This is where your preparation meets your purpose.”
Adding his vision to the moment, veteran action director Sham Kaushal shared, “Mark my words — the Indian Institute of Creative Skills will soon become a global magnet. Students from around the world will come to India to learn how we tell stories, how we shoot, how we create. We’re building something extraordinary here.”

The Indian Institute of Creative Skills is built to answer that call. With the goal of mentoring over 1,000 creators annually across 10 cities, IICS offers students real-world training, a nationally benchmarked curriculum, and one-on-one mentorship with leaders from the industry. Whether it’s filmmaking, animation, design, editing, sound, digital content, or performance, IICS is where raw talent transforms into career-ready brilliance.

The conclave also launched a national call for Value Partners — institutions and individuals ready to co-create IICS campuses across India. With a one-time large investment, the partners receive access to the IICS brand, curriculum, operational support, mentorship network, and alignment with CSR and Skill India goals.

For the many students who filled Siri Fort in New Delhi that day — some from metros, others from small towns — the event was not just a celebration. It was permission. It was direction. It was the moment they realised that their dreams mattered — and that the celebrity-mentors were ready to walk with them and proactively support them

As the curtains fell on the stage, a new stage was set — for thousands of career journeys to begin.

Those interested may visit www.iicsindia.org

India has lit the creative skills lamp. And the career path ahead is being illuminated with mentoring and expert guidance.

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