MAM
iQOO appoints 25-year-old as chief gaming officer; offers Rs 10 lakh
MUMBAI: iQOO appointed Vedang Vikas Chavan, a 25-year-old eSports coach and gamer from Mumbai, has been named as iQOO’s new chief gaming officer, emerging victorious in a three-month-long search that drew over 80,000 participants from 400+ Indian cities and towns. Vedang has been tested on his gameplay skills, gaming knowledge, personality, and communication along with the other participants. As part of this role, he will take home a remuneration of Rs 10 lakh.
Hailing from Navi Mumbai, Vedang’s journey is a story of relentless passion and perseverance. A chess prodigy in his early years, Vedang discovered gaming at age 10 and soon found himself captivated by esports. From sneaking into gaming cafés during college to representing India at international PUBG PC tournaments in Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Australia, his hustle never stopped. When he transitioned to coaching, he set out to give aspiring gamers a real shot at experiencing competitive esports. He handpicked grassroots talent and built teams from scratch, coaching them to podium finishes at top esports events. From being told he wasn’t good enough to become a sought-after leader, Vedang carved his space in a tough industry and helped others rise alongside him.
Expressing his excitement, Vedang said, “I’m genuinely overwhelmed and grateful to be named iQOO’s new Chief Gaming Officer. When I first came across this opportunity on LinkedIn, I saw it as the perfect way to challenge myself, a chance to grow, upgrade my skills, and do something meaningful in the esports space. And the fact that it was coming from a brand like iQOO made it even more exciting. I knew I had to give it my all. I never imagined it would take me all the way here. The competition rounds were intense, and the finalists I met along the way were all incredibly talented. I’ll never forget the video call with Nipun sir congratulating me, that’s a moment I’ll always treasure. This journey has been surreal, and I’m thankful to iQOO, the jury, and everyone who believed in me. I’m excited to now take this passion forward with iQOO and give back to the community that shaped me.
Welcoming Vedang, iQOO CEO Nipun Marya said, “This is yet another iconic moment for the Indian smartphone industry, and we are proud to welcome Vedang as our new Chief Gaming Officer. Vedang perfectly embodies the spirit of ‘I Quest On and On’. His journey from grassroots gaming to leading top teams reflects the passion and perseverance we value at iQOO. With his experience as a player, coach, and mentor, we believe he will bring a sharper understanding of the gaming community and a fresh perspective to our gaming initiatives. All of us at iQOO are excited to have him join the family, and we are confident he will make a meaningful impact in this role.”
From competing against 80,000+ passionate gamers to impressing a power-packed jury panel featuring Nipun Marya, Rannvijay Singha, Payal Gaming (Payal Dhare), and 8bit Thug (Animesh Agarwal), Vedang has emerged as the winner of CGO 2.0. As CGO, Vedang will work closely with iQOO’s leadership, offering insights to enhance the smartphone gaming experience and connect with the esports ecosystem. The position will also give him the opportunity to collaborate with top gamers across India and earn a prize of Rs 10 lakhs.
In addition to strengthening its presence in the esports space, iQOO has appointed Harshvardhan as its official caster. A passionate storyteller and presenter, Harshvardhan began his casting journey two years ago and quickly made a mark by winning the Nodwin Gaming Talent Hunt three times, including during BGIS 2024. Beyond the mic, he brings a well-rounded understanding of the esports ecosystem, skilled in production, match analysis, editing, and design. With his deep connection to the gaming community and evolving expertise, Harshvardhan will serve as a strong voice for iQOO’s gaming initiatives across platforms.
MAM
Beacon Group appoints Dr Rajesh Patel as Group CEO
36-year healthcare veteran to lead Beacon Diagnostics, Vector Biotek, Biogeny.
MUMBAI: A new chief, a fresh diagnosis and a sharper prescription for growth. Beacon Group has appointed Dr Rajesh Patel as its Group Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1, 2026, signalling a decisive push to scale its presence in the diagnostics and IVD space. Patel steps into the role with 36 years of experience across the healthcare and diagnostics industry, bringing a career shaped by leadership roles spanning sales, marketing, business development and operational strategy. His mandate is both expansive and precise: to steer the group’s overall strategic direction while tightening coordination across its three core entities Beacon Diagnostics, Vector Biotek and Biogeny Diagnostics.
In practical terms, that means driving cross-company synergies, accelerating market expansion and strengthening organisational capability areas increasingly critical as diagnostic players compete for scale in a fragmented yet rapidly evolving healthcare ecosystem. The group is positioning itself to capture unmet demand across chain laboratories, key accounts and standalone labs, segments that remain underserved despite growing diagnostic needs.
The appointment comes at a time when the In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) sector in India is entering a more competitive and innovation-led phase, with companies focusing not just on product pipelines but also on service delivery, integration and customer-centric models. Beacon’s leadership appears to be betting that Patel’s execution-focused approach can help translate ambition into operational momentum.
Welcoming the appointment, Chairman Dr D K Joshi described Patel’s induction as a strategic move aligned with the group’s long-term vision, emphasising the role of leadership depth in navigating the next phase of growth.
For Beacon Group, the message is clear, in a sector where precision matters, leadership is the new differentiator—and this appointment is intended to set the tone for what comes next.
