• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the India Toy Fair 2021 saying that it's a major step towards building AatmaNirbhar Bharat.

    • The Toy Fair will be held from 27th February to 2nd March 2021. More than 1,000 exhibitors are participating in the fair. 

    • Through this Toy fair, the Government and the Industry shall come together to discuss how India can be made the next global hub for manufacturing and sourcing of toys by way of attracting investments in the sector and promoting exports.

    • Today India’s share in the $ 100 billion global toy market is very small. 85 % of the toys in the country are sourced from abroad.

    • India’s local toy & games industry is set to play a crucial role in realising the PM's vision of building a new Atmanirbhar Bharat by the year 2022 to mark 75 glorious years of India’s Independence.

    • One can 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.

    • The Prime Minister said the country has now graded the toy industry in 24 major sectors.

    • The National Toy Action Plan has included 15 ministries and departments to make these industries competitive, countries to become self-reliant in toys, and India's toys also go into the world. 

    • Throughout this campaign, state governments have been made an equal partner in developing the toy clusters.

    • It is perceived that Toy industry has entertainment as well as informative value-addition.

    • Whether it's the pottery, electronic, textile, bamboo, educational or cane toy it demonstrates the culture, information or education, entertainment, technological prowess of the society.

    • Toy industry also helps in employment and growth of people of a region with higher consumption capacity.

    • Toys have an immediate connect with all age groups because of its demonstrative and learning effect on children.

    • At an early age children playing with animals or educational toy encourages healthy proper cognitive development of a child.

    • With toys, people appreciate the culture of other regions and during the Melas, it provides an opportunity for its marketability.

    • The main attractions of the fair include a virtual exhibition with over 1,000 stalls, knowledge sessions with engaging panel discussions and webinars on diverse topics by experts on areas including toy-based learning, craft demonstrations, competitions, quizzes, virtual tours, product launches, etc.

    • The exhibitors include businesses engaged in creating happy childhoods and educating children through play as well as NCERT, SCERTs, CBSE along with their schools and teachers, IIT-Gandhinagar, National Institute of Design, and Children University in Ahmedabad.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants. The views expressed here are personal.)