K’taka launches centre of excellence for animation, visual effects, gaming

Bengaluru, Jan 20 (IANS) The AVGC Centre of Excellence (animation, visual effects, gaming and comics CoE), a high-technology digital media hub funded by the Department of Electronics, Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology under the ‘Innovate Karnataka initiative, was launched on Thursday.

Emerging as the first state to introduce an AVGC policy as early as 2012, Karnataka now lays claim to be the first state in the country to set up such a large centre of excellence.

Launching the centre, Minister for Electronics, IT, BT and Higher Education, C.N. Ashwath Narayan said, “This CoE brings digital excellence to creative industries. India now commands around 10 per cent of the global AVGC market and has the potential to reach 20-25 per cent by 2027. Karnataka has been driving the AVGC sector in the country. Our government is proud of this CoE and this centre will take us to greater prominence in the sector.”

The centre also has a finishing school which offers courses based on emerging technology such as virtual reality, digital compression, photogrammetry, gamification of education, real-time virtual production, and other emerging technologies, he said.

“The state will come out with the new AVGC policy within one year and required land will be provided within a year to set up dedicated ‘Digital Media Entertainment Area’. More small CoEs will be set up across the state, particularly on campuses of universities, and collaborations will be made with more number of fine arts institutions,” the minister added.

“At present only 35% of students are getting quality education in our system and to fill this shortfall the National Education Policy (NEP-2020) aspires to make ‘storytelling’ the basis of education. Blended learning will also be supportive of this. By relying on AVGC, learning can be made more curious to achieve the target of providing quality education to all the students,” he said.

Karnataka accounts for a 20 per cent share of the Indian entertainment and AVGC industry. A total of over 300 animation, VFX & gaming studios operate in Karnataka, employing over 15,000 professionals. With the launch of this CoE, the AVGC ecosystem will be further benefitted, said E.V. Ramana Reddy, ACS, Department of Electronics, IT/BT and S&T.

–IANS

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