According to documents seen by Hindustan Times (HT), a government task force has suggested developing stories for online video games based on Indian epics like the Mahabharata and the Ramayana as well as iconic Indian movies such as Sholay and Bahubali.

This recommendation has been made by a sub task force formed by the Union information and broadcasting ministry to boost India’s animation, visual effects, gaming and comic (AVGC) sector.

“Applied games may be included in the school curriculum, and financial incentives may be provided for enterprises developing educational games,” according to suggestions by Vikram Sahay, joint secretary of I&B ministry.

He further said that, “A survey of applied game applications across various sectors may be conducted, and avenues for international demand for applied games may also be explored.”

To celebrate 75 years of Indian Independence the ministry has launched a series of online games in collaboration with Zynga India called the Azadi Quest as part of its ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ campaign that aims to capture the struggle for independence.

According to the report the task force wants to utilize the historical Indian literature like Ramayana and Mahabharata too as shows based on them have seen great success and they believe it has huge potential to transform India into a hub of Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs) as the genre is hugely popular among the gaming community.

An annual Gaming Expo is also a part of the ministry’s plans in the report saying, “Indian delegations may participate in various global gaming events. Gaming Startup Fests may be organized for showcasing innovation and providing a collaboration platform for gaming startups.”

The ministry suggests creating a pool of mentors to help create these games through industry associations that collaborates with the I&B ministry and media and entertainment skill council to offer rewards for mentoring emerging talent.

The task group suggested using the network of Atal Tinkering Labs for mentorship by introducing degree programmes and encouraging gaming firms to offer after-school mentoring programmes.

The report also adds, “The government, in collaboration with industry, may develop an open-source stack for game development. Sharing of technology may be encouraged through establishment of gaming startup hubs and platforms for technology sharing.”