iWorld
Disney Star launches ‘Words of Pride’ advocacy campaign
Mumbai: Disney Star unveils the ‘Words of Pride’ campaign, an advocacy initiative aimed at cultivating awareness and use of the right vocabulary for addressing LGBTQIA+ community across India. The central theme of the campaign, ‘The world is evolving; it’s time our words do too,’ reinforces the company’s commitment as the nation’s storyteller and endeavour to ignite a transformative social change by equipping people with respectful and appropriate language for the LGBTQIA+ community. The campaign highlights the convergence of language and respect, underscoring the importance of choosing appropriate terminology when addressing the LGBTQIA+ community.
Disney Star has launched a website which hosts a lexicon of respectful words to address the LGBTQIA+ community. Put together with language experts and linguists from the LGBTQIA+ community, it is made for everyone and is currently available in English, Hindi, Bengali, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and Tamil. This is merely a prologue towards our unwavering commitment to expand this lexicon and encompass more words and languages in the future.
Disney Star head – network brand & creative communications Minakshi Achan said, “Words hold extraordinary power – they can make us feel seen, heard, and valued. Fortunately, respectable words to address the LGBTQIA+ community do exist in our languages, but over the years they have been misused or forgotten. Our effort has only been to reclaim them such that they become a part of our daily discourse. At Disney Star we believe that by harnessing the power of language and advocating for appropriate terminology, meaningful conversations can be ignited, facilitating an intentional and dignified approach to using inclusive vocabulary with the LGBTQIA+ community.”
In an era characterised by evolving inclusivity, the ‘Words of Pride’ campaign stands as a potent catalyst for transformation. Rooted in the core mission of the campaign, it squarely confronts historical biases perpetuated by the continued misuse of language. With a strong emphasis on advocacy, the campaign strives to reintroduce and promote respectful terminology within Indian languages, unveiling a rich linguistic heritage that aligns harmoniously with contemporary progressive values.
At its core, the campaign empowers individuals to cultivate understanding and empathy. Harnessing its diverse social media platforms, Disney Star will actively promote respectful discourse, elevate awareness, and nurture compassion. The campaign’s digital microsite is poised to serve as a dynamic hub, offering educational resources concerning LGBTQIA+ terminology, pronouns, and personal narratives.
Gaming
Roblox appoints Sunil Rao as India managing director to drive growth
Former AWS leader to lead creator ecosystem, partnerships and local strategy
MUMBAI: Roblox has appointed Sunil Rao as managing director for India, as the company looks to deepen its footprint in one of its fastest-growing markets.
Rao, who will join in May, will serve as the senior-most representative for Roblox in India, leading local strategy, partnerships and day-to-day operations. His mandate includes strengthening the platform’s presence, supporting the creator ecosystem and aligning India’s market needs with global priorities.
A key focus area will be nurturing India’s growing community of developers and creators, enabling local studios to leverage Roblox’s tools for scaling and monetisation. Globally, the platform’s creator community earned over $1.5 billion in 2025, underlining the economic potential of user-generated content ecosystems.
“Roblox is at the forefront of enabling a new generation of creators and games. India’s scale, creativity, and entrepreneurial energy present a massive opportunity,” said Rao. “I’m excited to build a vibrant and inclusive ecosystem that empowers developers and creators across the country. Ensuring child safety and aligning closely with India’s regulatory framework will be among my top priorities.”
Welcoming the appointment, Roblox vice president international Zhen Fang said India represents a high-potential market for the company. “Sunil brings deep expertise in building operations across diverse markets, and his passion for community-centric platforms makes him the ideal leader to drive our next chapter of growth in the country.”
Rao brings over two decades of experience across technology platforms, venture capital and developer ecosystems. He was previously part of the leadership team at Amazon Web Services, where he led strategy and corporate business development across Asia-Pacific and Japan. He also served as a partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, working closely with startups and founders.
Earlier in his career, Rao played a key role in building developer ecosystems at Symbian, Nokia and Google, contributing to the growth of major mobile and internet platforms.
With India’s large youth population and rapidly evolving digital landscape, Roblox’s latest leadership move signals a sharper focus on long-term growth, local relevance and creator-led innovation in the market.
