Guwahati: The Media & Entertainment Association of India (MEAI), in collaboration with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, successfully organized WAM! Guwahati on November 22 at the NEDFi Convention Center. This significant event is a part of the broader Create in India mission, aimed at raising awareness about anime and manga while fostering a vibrant creator economy in these artforms.
The event saw participation from 54 contestants across Manga, Webtoon, and Anime categories, alongside 20 talented Cosplay artists who vividly brought anime and gaming characters to life.
The Cosplay competition was judged by Ez (Ankita Barthakur, Senior Administrator, Assam Cosplay Community), while the Manga, Webtoon, and Anime contests were evaluated by a distinguished jury comprising Sushil Bhasin (President, MEAI) and Rishiraj Debroy (Shiroyasha, Founder, Barak Valley Anime Community).
Cosplay Winners
- Rahul Patir – 1st Prize (INR 10,000)
- Leo & Nunam – 2nd Prize (INR 6,000)
- Siddharth Dutta – 3rd Prize (INR 4,000)
Creative Contest Winners
Anime Professional – Consolation Prize (INR 5,000): JS Baruah
Anime Student – Consolation Prize (INR 5,000): Aditya Bhattacharjee
Webtoon Professional – Winner (INR 5,000 + WACOM Pen Tablet + Goodie Hamper from Faber Castell + Original Merchandise from TRIO): Marshy Deori
Manga Professional – Winner (INR 5,000 + WACOM Pen Tablet + Goodie Hamper from Faber Castell + Original Merchandise from TRIO): Debapriyo Das
Manga Student – Joint Winners (Each INR 2,500 + WACOM Pen Tablet + Goodie Hamper from Faber Castell + Original Merchandise from TRIO): Bijay Gour and Tushar Dev
Championing Indian IP Creation
The event underscores MEAI’s commitment to embedding manga and anime into India’s mainstream cultural fabric, supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making India a global hub for creative intellectual property. WAM! serves as a platform for emerging talent to showcase their skills, propelling India’s potential in the global manga and anime industries.
“WAM! is not just a competition; it’s a celebration of creativity and a platform to nurture India’s emerging talent in anime, manga, and webtoon. With events like WAM! Guwahati, we are taking significant steps toward establishing India as a hub for original IP creation in these art forms, aligning with the Create in India mission. The passion and talent we witnessed here are truly inspiring and affirm our belief in the immense potential of Indian creators,” said Sushil Bhasin, President, MEAI.
Stay tuned for updates on upcoming WAM! events as this movement continues across 11 cities in India.
For more details, visit WAM! Website
