- Ahmedabad event marks the beginning of a nationwide alumni engagement drive as over 80 successful creative professionals reunite to inspire the next generation
- New intellectual property creation platform aims to nurture homegrown storytellers and future-ready content creators in India’s booming AVGC-XR ecosystem
- Industry leaders unveil innovation-driven learning modules aligned with virtual production, digital content creation and emerging technologies
- Alumni entrepreneurs and studio leaders share success stories, reaffirming Arena Animation’s three-decade legacy of transforming students into industry professionals
- Creative careers in animation, VFX, gaming and XR offer expanding opportunities with competitive salaries, global demand and entrepreneurial potential
NE EDUCATION BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, JUNE 13
Marking three decades of shaping careers and nurturing creative talent, Arena Animation on Saturday celebrated its 11th Alumni Meet in Ahmedabad while unveiling Arena Animation Originals, an ambitious intellectual property (IP) creation platform designed to empower students and alumni to develop original animation, gaming and digital content for global audiences.
Held at Fairfield by Marriott on Ashram Road, the event brought together more than 80 alumni, industry leaders and creative professionals, celebrating the institution’s journey of transforming aspiring artists into entrepreneurs, studio heads and industry innovators across the rapidly expanding AVGC-XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality) sector.
The Ahmedabad gathering also marked the launch of a nationwide alumni engagement initiative that will connect Arena Animation’s vast creative network across metro and non-metro cities, reinforcing collaboration, mentorship and industry partnerships.
One of the highlights of the event was the unveiling of Arena Animation Originals by Shourya K. Chakravarty, Chief Human Resources Officer, Aptech Limited, and Shajan Samuel, Senior Vice President & National Sales Head, Arena Animation.
The new initiative is aimed at encouraging students and alumni to conceptualise, create and commercialise original intellectual properties by leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as virtual production, immersive storytelling, artificial intelligence-assisted workflows and digital content creation.
The platform aligns with India’s growing ambition to emerge as a global hub for original animation and VFX content while reducing dependence on outsourced production work.
The event showcased an impressive lineup of accomplished alumni, including Avesh Bhas, CEO of Artosouls; Amit Mehta, Founder of Imagine Communications; Deep Ardashana, Design Head at Inextrix Technologies; and Mihir Bhavsar, Business Head at Bonacci, reflecting Arena Animation’s success in producing not only creative professionals but also business leaders and entrepreneurs.
Addressing the gathering, Shajan Samuel, Senior Vice President & National Sales Head, Arena Animation, said: “It is inspiring to see our alumni from Ahmedabad and Gujarat successfully building ventures, leading creative enterprises and making meaningful contributions across leading studios and creative organisations. As Arena Animation marked 30 years, this milestone is not only a reflection of our legacy, but of the strong industry network we have cultivated over time. The Ahmedabad Alumni Meet celebrates these achievements while reinforcing our commitment to nurturing talent, strengthening alumni connections, and fostering a collaborative ecosystem that inspires the next generation of creative professionals.”
The alumni meet also featured interactive discussions on evolving technologies, emerging career pathways, global outsourcing opportunities and the changing expectations of employers in the creative economy.
Successful alumni shared their professional journeys, offering valuable insights into portfolio building, entrepreneurship, freelancing and adapting to an industry increasingly driven by technology and innovation.
With Ahmedabad emerging as an important centre for design, digital storytelling and creative entrepreneurship, the event reaffirmed Arena Animation’s role in producing skilled professionals contributing to India’s growing influence in the global content creation industry.
Arena Animation Originals: Key Features
Arena Animation Originals is designed as a creator-first platform that enables students and alumni to develop original animation films, gaming assets, web series concepts, digital comics and intellectual properties for commercial and global distribution.
The initiative focuses on:
- Original IP development and storytelling
- Virtual production and digital filmmaking
- Character design and world building
- AI-assisted creative workflows
- Portfolio creation and incubation
- Industry mentorship and collaborative projects
- Exposure to emerging technologies in AVGC-XR
Duration, Fees and Career Prospects
Arena Animation offers multiple career-oriented programmes across Animation, VFX, Gaming, UI/UX, Graphic Design and Digital Media, with durations ranging from 6 months to 27 months, depending on the specialisation.
Course fees generally vary between ₹1 lakh and ₹4 lakh, based on programme structure, duration and centre location.
Graduates can pursue careers as:
- 2D & 3D Animator
- VFX Artist
- Motion Graphics Designer
- Game Artist
- Character Designer
- Environment Artist
- UI/UX Designer
- Virtual Production Specialist
- Digital Content Creator
- Creative Entrepreneur
- Freelance Visual Artist
Industry salary packages depend on portfolio quality and specialisation. Freshers typically earn ₹3 lakh to ₹5 lakh per annum, while experienced professionals and specialists in VFX, gaming and UI/UX can command ₹10 lakh to ₹25 lakh or more annually, with global freelancing opportunities further enhancing earning potential.
