India’s growing interest in the Orange
Economy—the economy of creativity, culture, and intellectual property—is
often discussed as a modern or emerging phenomenon. Yet, in the Indian context,
creativity has never existed in isolation from culture. Storytelling,
interpretation, and transmission of knowledge have always been central to how
this civilisation functioned.
If India is entering a new creative phase, an
important question arises: what role can the interpretation of heritage,
scriptures, and traditional narratives—especially through digital media—play in
shaping this economy?
At its core, the Orange Economy is not merely
about platforms or monetisation. It is about creating meaning. India’s
unique advantage lies in continuity—an unbroken tradition of narratives,
symbols, and philosophies that were never static. Epics, purāṇic traditions,
regional histories, and oral storytelling were not preserved as fixed texts.
They evolved through commentary, performance, debate, and retelling.
Interpretation, not repetition, was the norm.
Digital media, in this sense, should not be
seen only as a disruptive force. It can also be understood as the latest layer
in a long tradition of transmission—from oral memory to manuscripts, from print
to screen. What has changed is scale. A single video, essay, or visual
narrative can now reach audiences across languages and geographies almost
instantly. This creates opportunity, but also responsibility.
Language plays a crucial role here. The
renewed use of Hindi and regional languages through digital platforms has
expanded access to history and scriptures, allowing wider participation in
cultural knowledge. Interpreting complex material in accessible language—without
diluting its depth—has become a creative act in itself.
Today, individual creators often perform
multiple roles simultaneously: researcher, interpreter, and publisher. When
working with history, epics, or sacred traditions, interpretation is never
neutral. Choices of framing and emphasis shape public understanding. In this
sense, India’s Orange Economy will mature not simply through volume of content,
but through depth, care, and interpretive honesty.
Across the country, a quiet cultural movement
is already visible. Educators, historians, artists, and independent creators
are engaging with India’s past through digital formats, often outside
institutional frameworks. Together, they form a meaningful—if understated—part
of the Orange Economy, rooted in knowledge rather than novelty.
India’s creative future will depend not only
on innovation, but on how consciously it interprets its inheritance.
Digital media offers powerful tools. The challenge, and the opportunity, lies
in using them to deepen understanding rather than flatten it.
Next Blog: Part 2
