Arena Animation Marks 30 Years with Pune Alumni Meet, Highlights Rising AVGC-XR Opportunities and Industry Growth

Pune, 5th July 2026: Arena Animation celebrated three decades of its contribution to India’s animation, visual effects (VFX), gaming, and AVGC-XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality) ecosystem by hosting its Grand Pune Alumni Meet 2026 at Pride Hotel. The event brought together nearly 100 alumni, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, faculty members and students, with participants travelling from across India as well as the United Kingdom, Italy, the United States, Canada and Malaysia.

The gathering served as a platform to reconnect alumni, discuss emerging trends in the creative technology sector, and highlight the expanding opportunities in India’s rapidly growing AVGC-XR industry.

Arena Animation also announced the launch of its 13th alumni chapter in Pune, expanding a nationwide alumni network that now connects over 1,200 former students across cities including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Nashik, Indore and Vadodara.

During the event, Arena Animation introduced Arena Originals, an intellectual property (IP) creation initiative designed to encourage students and alumni to conceptualise and develop original animation and digital content. The initiative was unveiled by Avinash Medhe and Anuj Kumar, Co-founders of Girgit Studios, along with Shajan Samuel, Senior Vice President and National Sales Head, Arena Animation.

Speaking at the event, Nikhil Halli, Centre Director, Arena Animation FC Road, said Pune and Maharashtra are emerging as major destinations for the AVGC-XR industry due to the availability of skilled talent, educational institutions, technology companies and startup ecosystems.

“Pune has evolved into one of India’s strongest talent hubs for animation, visual effects, gaming, graphics and digital design. The city offers an ideal ecosystem where education, technology companies, production studios and startups coexist, creating significant employment opportunities for creative professionals. Maharashtra already has a strong presence in media, entertainment and technology, and with the rapid expansion of AI, virtual production, gaming and immersive technologies, the demand for skilled professionals is increasing every year.”

He said the AVGC-XR sector today offers career opportunities beyond traditional animation and VFX.

“Students are no longer limited to film or television projects. Today they are building careers in gaming, UI/UX design, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality, digital marketing, product visualisation, architectural visualisation, healthcare simulation, e-commerce, automotive design and content creation. The industry is evolving rapidly, and professionals with multidisciplinary skills are finding opportunities across both Indian and international markets.”

Halli said Arena Animation alumni have contributed to several acclaimed films, web series and international projects.

“Our alumni have worked on major productions including Dhurandhar 1 & 2, The Family Man, Kurukshetra and Mirzapur, besides contributing to globally recognised gaming projects. Several former students have established their own studios and creative companies in Pune, Mumbai and Bengaluru, while many others are working with leading multinational organisations in AI, graphics, gaming and visual effects. Their success reflects the growing strength of India’s creative economy.”

Highlighting the institute’s legacy, Halli said Arena Animation has been producing industry-ready professionals since its establishment in 1996.

“Over the past three decades, our alumni have collectively contributed to projects that have earned global recognition, including work associated with Guinness World Records. We also expect contributions from our alumni to be represented in projects competing in the Visual Effects category at the upcoming Academy Awards. These achievements demonstrate the global capabilities of Indian creative professionals.”

Shajan Samuel, Senior Vice President and National Sales Head, Arena Animation, said India’s AVGC-XR industry is witnessing rapid expansion, creating new opportunities for skilled professionals.

“It is encouraging to see alumni from Pune and across Maharashtra leading creative enterprises, building successful businesses and contributing to leading studios. As Arena Animation completes 30 years, our focus remains on nurturing talent, strengthening alumni networks and preparing students for emerging technologies and future industry requirements.”

The event featured interactions between alumni and current students, with professionals sharing their experiences and discussing evolving career opportunities in animation, gaming, VFX and digital content creation.

Among the notable alumni present were Rohit Panhale, Digital Marketing Head at Neelkanth Jewellers; Omkar Wakhare, Production Coordinator; Divya Kataria, Senior Graphics Designer at Group Bayport; Aryan Bhowmik, entrepreneur and studio owner; Aditya Mhaske, Tracing and Rotomation Lead at MVision VFX; and Nikhil Mukund Sarode, recognised for holding a world record as Maharashtra’s youngest graphic and motion graphic artist and faculty member.

The programme was attended by industry representatives including Amit Singh, Founder of Punekar News, and Ranbeer Hora, Founder and Director of God Speed Games Studio, along with faculty members, students and professionals from the creative technology sector.

Discussions during the alumni meet focused on emerging technologies, virtual production, original content creation, artificial intelligence, changing skill requirements and the future of India’s AVGC-XR industry. Networking sessions and interactions between alumni and students formed a key part of the event, aimed at strengthening professional connections within the creative ecosystem.