The toy hackathon is launched with the aim to promote the indigenous manufacturing of toys. Speaking at the launch of ‘Toycathon 2021’, Union Minister of Education – Dr. Ramesh Pokhariyal contended that 80% of toys in India are imported while the country has the capability to manufacture them.
January 06, 2021
In view of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s clarion call for making India a hub of toy manufacturing, Union Minister of Education – Dr. Ramesh Pokhariyal ‘Nishank’ and Union Minister of Women and Child Development – Mrs. Smriti Irani have launched a virtual toy hackathon – ‘Toycathon 2021’.
Irani stated that students and faculty members who would participate in the event can get reward up to Rs 50 lakhs.
She said that “for the first time in the history of our country, we shall see the participation of schools students along with students from higher educational institutions with regards to needs of the MSME industry in our country.”
Union Minister of Education – Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, who was also present on the occasion, mentioned that the size of the toy market in India is about USD 1 billion but unfortunately 80 percent of the toys are imported.
He said that “the launch of Toycathon is an endeavour by the government to create an ecosystem for the domestic toy industry and local manufacturers, tapping the untapped resources and utilizing their potential.”
In a meeting with senior ministers and officials to discuss ways to boost manufacturing and global imprint of Indian toys in August last year, the Prime Minister had remarked that toys can be an excellent medium to further the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’ and contended that toys should reflect India’s value system and culturally established environment-friendly approach.
Mr. Abhay Jere, Chief Innovation Officer, Ministry of Education, asserted that another feature of the Toycathon is to conceptualize which will promote positive behaviour based on Indian value systems.
He added further: “A few months back the Government of India launched Toy Story as an inter-ministerial mission to promote toy manufacturing, innovation and entrepreneurship in toys in the country. One of the key initiatives under this mission is Toycathon where we will reach out to youngsters, school students, faculties, start-ups, professionals and request them to conceptualise toys based on Indian those, culture, civilization, our heroes and some of the important events of our past.”
Six ministries including – the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Textiles, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, and Ministry of Commerce and Industry will participate in Toycathon.
