Big opportunity awaits Indian animation: NASSCOM

Bangalore, Sep 3: The Indian animation and gaming industry should brace up fast to capitalise on global outsourcing opportunity, NSSSCOM Regional Director (West) Rajiv Vaishnav said today.

Speaking at ABAI fest, organised by Association of Bangalore Animation Industry, he said significant growth was forseen in the animation and gaming industry in the near future. India could cash in on the outsourcing boom which would be witnessed in the coming five years resulting in Animation and gaming giants United States losing its share.

''India can offer animation solutions at just one-fourth of cost when compared to the films made in the US, and the country had already established production of quality animation. This should be converted into a boom providing we produce enough talent to make top quality animated films. The industry has been badly restricted due to lack of availability of experts. Animation is more about the man and mind and machine comes next. we need to identify suitable talent and motivate them," he said.

Mr Vishnav said the country would need five lakh people trained in animation by 2010 to cash in on fabulous opportunities that would be available due to outsourcing. The global industry was at present worth 55 million US Dollars and would grow to nine billion dollars by 2009 at the rate of eight per cent. The industry which was just seven years old in the country was still in nascent stage accounting for just one per cent of the global share.

Opportunities would be the biggest in mobile gaming segment as the present growth rate of 15 per cent was likely to shoot up to 28 per cent by 2009, he said.

Infosys HR Director T V Mohandas Pai said the animation and gaming industry was witnessing passion that could be matched to the one seen in the field of Information technology during 1994. The focus of the industry should be on human relations. It has to train enough young people in schools and colleges. It should ensure inclusion of animation in the carriculam.

"We need recognition for creation in India. The sector will see more investment and private sector could be roped in to provide collateral infrastructure. We must bring traditional artists into the industry'' he added.

Noted film maker Subash Ghai said animation was all about thinking and doing. The industry need to create more and more thinking minds to improve the standard of animation indsutry to the world level. Telling a story was more important than use of technology, he added.

UNI