On February 27, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the India Toy Fair 2021 today through video conference. The Prime Minister called for bringing out the hidden potential of the toy industry in India and to create an identity for it as a big part of the campaign for AatmaNibhar Bharat. He added this first toy fair is not just a business or economic event. This program is a link to strengthen the country’s age-old culture of sports and cheer. He said this toy fair is one such platform where one can discuss toy design, innovation, technology, Marketing and packaging and also share their experiences. He said the world has done research on toys from the era of Indus Valley civilization, Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. The Prime Minister recalled that in ancient times, when travelers from the world came to India, they used to learn sports in India and used to take it along with them. He added that chess, which is so popular in the world today, was earlier played in India as ‘Chaturanga or Chaduranga’. Modern Ludo was then played as ‘Pachisi’. He said in our scriptures, it was described that Bal Ram had a lot of toys. In Gokul, Gopal Krishna used to play with his friends outside the house in a balloon. Games, toys and crafts have also been engraved in our ancient temples.
The First Virtual India Toy Fair will be held from 27th February 2021 to March 2nd, 2021. The website of India Toy Fair-2021 www.theindiatoyfair.in was inaugurated jointly by the Union Education Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, Union Minister of Textiles, Smriti Zubin Irani and Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal on February 11.
The website states: “The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi has often shared his vision of building a new Atmanirbhar Bharat by the year 2022 to mark 75 glorious years of India’s Independence: a new India that will merge the best of tradition with a modern, global outlook.
India’s local toy & games industry is set to play a crucial role in realising these aspirations. And in the efforts to make India stand out for its rich and multifarious toy production, it’s time to team up for Indian toys.
In a landmark initiative, Government of India presents ‘The India Toy Fair 2021’. Experience the next chapter of the Indian Toy Story unfold on your screen, from 27th February to 2nd March 2021 through the first-ever digitally accessible exhibition and platform where you can not only browse and buy toys but also participate in events, activities and network with the various stakeholders of the Toy Industry.
The Government of India has also launched ‘Toycathon’, an online toy hackathon for innovative toys/games concepts. Toycathon-2021 is conceived to challenge India’s innovative minds to conceptualize novel Toy and Games based on Bharatiya civilization, history, culture, mythology and ethos. It has seen a great response from toy loving students, teachers, start-ups and toy experts/professionals”.