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

By Bollyy 07 Jul 2025 in Entertainment

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'Made for Media’ by Indian Institute of Creative Skills

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Icons Light the Path for India’s Creative Youth

The lights dimmed. The stage glowed. As the ceremonial lamp was lit at Siri Fort Auditorium by Padma Shri Shankar Mahadevan, Padma Shri Dr. Resul Pookutty, Sham Kaushal, Dr. (Hon.) Mohit Soni, Dr. (Hon.) Amit Behl, Usha Uthup, and legendary filmmaker Ramesh Sippy, a powerful message echoed through the auditorium and into the hearts of every aspiring student present.

“This is the moment for India's young creators,” said Shankar Mahadevan. “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.”

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 Aparshakti Khurana and the ever-graceful Vandana Vadhera, who anchored the event and kept the momentum alive through every moment of magic and meaning.

Usha Uthup opened the proceedings with a stirring Ganesh Vandana, invoking divine blessings for new beginnings. She was followed by Shankar 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 Dr. (Hon.) Anusha Srinivasan Iyer, from RS Prasanna, Kiran Juneja, Anuradha Tiwari, Roshni Sehgal, Barnali Ray Shukla, Pooja Arora, Ashish Behl, Sabbas Joseph, Sushma Gaikwad, Ketki Pandit, Rashmi Menon, Anand Jha, Lalita Goenka and many others — mentors from every corner of the media and entertainment industry stood united in one call: to guide 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 Dr. Resul Pookutty. “Learn from our mistakes, build on our knowledge, and go further than we ever could.”
Dr. (Hon.) 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 Dr. (Hon.) 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, 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 investment of ₹1.5 to ₹2 crore, 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 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 realized that their dreams mattered — and that the mentors were ready to walk with them.

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

India has lit the lamp. And the path ahead is illuminated.

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