Mumbai: Jatin Varma, founder of Comic Con India, has announced the launch of The Comic Book Trust of India, a non-profit initiative dedicated to documenting, acknowledging, and elevating the comic book medium in the country. As part of the Trust’s initial corpus, Varma has committed INR 1 crore from his personal earnings to support initiatives aimed at empowering creators, preserving comic culture, and building long-term institutional support for the medium.
The announcement marks Varma’s first formal public venture following his exit from Comic Con India, signalling a renewed focus on purpose-driven, ecosystem-building work within India’s creative industries.
The advisory council of The Comic Book Trust of India includes prominent industry leaders such as Ashish Kulkarni, Chairman of FICCI for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics Forum and Chairman of MCCIA Animation & Gaming Committee; Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and MD of NODWIN Gaming; Manoj Satti, Head of Sales, Product, and Marketing at Penguin Random House India; and Mayank Shekhar. Sonal Varma has also joined as a trustee alongside Jatin Varma.
The Trust’s first national initiative is the Indian Comic Book Awards, a platform designed to recognise excellence in Indian graphic storytelling. The inaugural awards ceremony will be held in Mumbai on 9th May 2026, honouring creators across categories such as Best Writer, Best Artist, and Best Webcomic. The jury panel features International Emmy-nominated filmmaker and animator Vaibhav Kumaresh and Dan Parent of Archie Comics. Submissions are open until 31st March 2026.
Commenting on the launch, Jatin Varma, Founder, Comic Con India and Chief Trustee, The Comic Book Trust of India, said, “For over a decade, my focus was on building the stage where fans and creators could meet. However, sustainable growth for Indian comics requires more than just events; it demands an ecosystem that values the art form intrinsically.” He added, “Indian comics have always had extraordinary creative energy, but creators often build in isolation, without long-term support systems. The Trust is my way of helping create that missing infrastructure, one that values craft, continuity, and cultural relevance. This is not about scale or spectacle, but about giving Indian comics the seriousness, respect, and institutional backing they deserve.”
Commenting on the launch, Ashish Kulkarni, Former Chairman – FICCI AVGC Forum, Director – Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT), said, “India’s AVGC-XR ecosystem is undergoing a significant transformation and needs focused action to nurture original IP and empower creators. The Comic Book Trust of India is a step in the right direction towards building infrastructure, recognition, and industry collaboration for comics. By investing in talent and celebrating excellence, we can accelerate India’s rise as a global hub for storytelling. I look forward to collaborating with Jatin Varma and the council to build, nurture and champion India’s comic book culture. This effort will help us establish Indian stylization in AVGC-XR.”
Commenting on the launch, Sonal Varma, Trustee, The Comic Book Trust of India, said, “The Comic Book Trust of India will be the next step forward in positioning India at the forefront of the global comic book industry. We look forward to encouraging creators of all kinds to come forward and benefit from the trust and provide them with opportunities and a stage to showcase their creativity.”
The launch aligns with the Government of India’s AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics) policy and the broader Make in India narrative. By focusing exclusively on work created by Indian talent for the Indian market, the Trust aims to strengthen the indigenous intellectual property pipeline, foster professional growth, and position Indian comic books as a significant cultural export within the country’s expanding creative economy.
