National Award-winning filmmaker and former journalist Utpal Borpujari has been nominated as a member of the Board of Advisors of the Indian Institute of Creative Skills (IICS), India’s first industry-led creative incubator.

The institute has been established under the chairmanship of Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty.

IICS functions under the Media & Entertainment Skills Council (MESC), which is chaired by Grammy Award-winning composer Shankar Mahadevan.

It has been launched under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and is affiliated with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) Academy.

An alumnus of IIT Roorkee, Borpujari joins an illustrious advisory board comprising celebrated names from the Indian creative industry — including filmmakers Girish Kasaravalli, Rahul Rawail and Shonali Bose; producer Shibashish Sarkar; editors A. Sreekar Prasad and Bina Paul; action director Sham Kaushal; actors Amit Behl and Dia Mirza; costume designer Neeta Lulla; lyricist and screenwriter Kausar Munir; theatre director Feroz Abbas Khan; cinematographer Ravi K. Chandran; and animation filmmaker Kireet Khurana, among others.

Borpujari also serves as a member of the IIMC Society, the highest decision-making body of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication.

The formation of IICS aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Create in India”, aiming to develop India into a global hub for creative skills.

The institute's first campus is set to be launched in Delhi, with nine more campuses planned across the country in the near future.

IICS will offer a variety of skill-based degree and certificate programmes in fields such as sound design and music video production, make-up and prosthetics, costume design, animation and game development, event and experiential management, digital PR and journalism, digital content creation and media management, and visual and communication design. Additional courses are expected to be introduced over time.

“I am privileged and honoured to be part of this forward-looking initiative aimed at empowering the young generations of our country in various fields associated with the entertainment industry, which is projected to have exponential growth in India in the coming years,” Borpujari said, expressing his gratitude to Pookutty for the nomination.

Beyond classroom learning, IICS promises immersive, hands-on training through mentorship from Indian and international experts and by involving students in real-life projects and industry events.

Admissions for select courses are already open, with full details available on the official IICS website and its social media platforms.

“I hope youngsters from Northeast India would avail of this skill-driven initiative that is aimed at preparing the youth for entry into the industry at an empowered level,” Borpujari added.

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