A cash prize of up to ₹5 lakh is now on the table for video creators willing to put Arunachal Pradesh's culture, heritage, and hidden landscapes on the national map — and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu wants every district in the state in the running.

On Thursday, 6 August 2026, CM Khandu announced the Gems of India Challenge on X, calling on creators across the state to produce a 1–3 minute video capturing their district's 'culture, heritage, traditions, history, tourism and unique identity.' Entries open from 1 to 31 August 2026 and must be submitted through MyWAVES on WAVES OTT.

Three tiers of prize money, one goal

The prize structure is designed to reward at every level. A District Award of ₹50,000 goes to the best entry from each district, a State Award of ₹2 lakh recognises the top Arunachal submission, and a National-level award of up to ₹5 lakh awaits in the subsequent nationwide rollout of the challenge. The tiered format means a creator from a remote corner of the state competes first on home turf before being measured against the country.

Arunachal's cultural depth as a content opportunity

Arunachal Pradesh is home to more than 26 major tribes and over 100 sub-tribes, each carrying distinct languages, festivals, and craft traditions — a reservoir of content that has historically struggled to reach mainstream audiences. The state's terrain, stretching from the foothills of the eastern Himalayas to high-altitude valleys bordering China, Bhutan, and Myanmar, adds a layer of visual drama few Indian states can match.

The challenge plugs into the Government of India's long-running Incredible India tourism promotion campaign, launched in 2002, which has periodically leaned on regional diversity to build a composite national identity. State governments across the Northeast have used digital contests before to amplify local culture under national branding — this initiative follows that pattern but attaches it to a streaming platform, pushing the content into a potentially wider digital ecosystem.

WAVES OTT as the submission gateway

Creators must submit entries through MyWAVES on WAVES OTT, positioning the platform as the primary distribution channel for the challenge. The move signals an intent to build a library of regional content on a national OTT surface, giving winning videos a shelf life beyond the contest itself. If the national rollout follows, similar challenges from other states could feed into the same platform.

For a state that rarely dominates cultural headlines, the Gems of India Challenge is a chance to let its 26-plus tribes speak for themselves — one short film at a time.