Assam's Utpal Borpujari Joins Advisory Board of India’s First Creative Skills Institute

Acclaimed filmmaker and journalist Utpal Borpujari has been nominated as a member of the Advisory Board of the Indian Institute of Creative Skills (IICS), India’s first industry-driven creative incubator set up under the leadership of Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty.

IICS is an initiative of the Media & Entertainment Skills Council (MESC), headed by Grammy-winning composer Shankar Mahadevan. It has been established with the support of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and is affiliated with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) Academy.

A former film critic and an alumnus of IIT Roorkee, Borpujari joins a distinguished panel of advisors that includes celebrated filmmakers like Girish Kasaravalli, Rahul Rawail, and Shonali Bose, producer Shibashish Sarkar, veteran editors A Sreekar Prasad and Bina Paul, action director Sham Kaushal, actors Dia Mirza and Amit Behl, costume designer Neeta Lulla, lyricist Kausar Munir, theatre icon Firoz Abbas Khan, cinematographer Ravi K Chandran, animation filmmaker Kireet Khurana, among others.

Borpujari is also a current member of the apex body of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC Society), one of the country’s leading institutions for media studies.

The IICS has been envisioned in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s "Create in India" initiative, with the goal of nurturing young talent and turning India into a global hub for creative skills. Its first campus is expected to open soon in Delhi, followed by nine more across the country.

The institute aims to bridge the gap between education and the real-world demands of the creative industry. It will offer hands-on, skill-based courses in areas like sound design, music video production, makeup and prosthetics, animation and gaming, costume design, event management, digital journalism, PR, and more. Admissions to select courses have already begun.

Reacting to his nomination, Borpujari said, “I feel privileged to be a part of this forward-thinking initiative that aims to empower young people in the rapidly growing entertainment and media sector. I thank Resul Pookutty for including me in this exciting journey.”

He also encouraged youth from the Northeast to explore this opportunity, adding, “I hope young talents from our region take advantage of what IICS offers—it’s designed to prepare students to enter the creative industry with the skills and confidence needed to thrive.”

Alongside classroom learning, the institute will offer hands-on experience through collaborations with industry mentors and live projects, making it a unique blend of education and real-world training.

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