iWorld
Diwali for poor: SonyLiv, UNICEF call for #FairStart
NEW DELHI: A #FairStart campaign which seeks to offer a better future to the underprivileged children through financial empowerment has been launched by the digital entertainment platform SonyLiv in collaboration with UNICEF for a short film on the subject.
The film invites viewers to make contributions towards the goal of equal opportunity in whichever way they can. The poignant film sheds light on how many grudge the circumstances until they see someone who is less fortunate yet more content with the smaller joys of life.
The video explores how street children revel in Diwali festivities and a small gift by an onlooker can enhance their joy manifold. It underlines the fact that the true spirit of Diwali lies not in extravagant spending, but in sharing the festive joy with others. The video ends with a heartfelt appeal to the viewers to donate to the #FairStart campaign and share their good fortune with those less privileged than them.
With #FairStart, UNICEF has joined hands with SonyLiv to address the persisting inequities that large groups of children in India face and is aimed at engaging public debate and ensuring every child can have a fair chance in life. SonyLiv’s Diwali video supports this noble initiative by fostering greater public involvement and raising awareness about issues affecting the survival, growth and development of children in India. The heart-warming video can be viewed on YouTube, as well as on SonyLiv’s web and mobile platforms.
Make India, Ek India Happywala.
Link: http://www.sonyliv.com/details/short%20film/5187347703001/
Donate here: http://bit.ly/FairStartLIV
SonyLiv EVP and head – digital business Uday Sodhi said, “Children are the future; they are the builders of tomorrow’s India, the cornerstones of a better nation. This year, we at SonyLiv are focussing on sharing the festive joy with those who need it the most – the children. Through our Diwali video, we aim to highlight how just a small donation can bring untold happiness and joy in the life of an underprivileged child. We would urge all viewers to contribute to this initiative and truly help in giving a #FairStart to children across the country. As a specialised content provider, SonyLiv has taken initiatives on special occasions in the past e.g. Independence Day, Diwali – last year, reaching out to the millennials by leaving behind a social message.”
Gaming
MTG gaming chief Benninghoff joins NODWIN board as esports firm primes for IPO
The Gurugram-based esports firm is pursuing a public listing, has returned to profitability and is growing revenues by 42 per cent
GURUGRAM: NODWIN Gaming is moving fast. The Gurugram-based gaming and esports company has launched a pre-IPO fundraising round, appointed UBS as lead adviser for both the round and a subsequent public listing, and landed a heavyweight board director, all in one go.
The new board member is Arnd Benninghoff, executive vice president of gaming at Stockholm-listed Modern Times Group (MTG), who has overseen the group’s strategic investments and portfolio growth since 2014. He is no stranger to building things: Benninghoff has founded and built fifteen companies, served as chief digital officer at ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, managing director of SevenVentures, and chief executive of Holtzbrinck eLAB. He began his career as a journalist at Deutsche Presse Agentur and various TV networks, holds a Diplom-Kaufmann in business and administration from the University of Münster, and previously sat on the board of Edgeware AB.
The numbers back the ambition
NODWIN is not pitching a story without substance. The company has returned to EBITDA profitability and posted a 42 per cent year-on-year revenue surge, reaching $58.5m in the first nine months of FY2026. The pre-IPO round will combine a primary issuance to fund global expansion through organic growth and acquisitions, alongside a secondary sale to give existing shareholders some liquidity.
Akshat Rathee, co-founder and managing director of NODWIN Gaming, said Benninghoff understands “the entire lifecycle of the gaming and media ecosystem, from the boots-on-the-ground reality of building startups to the strategic complexity of managing multi-billion dollar global portfolios.”
Benninghoff, for his part, said the company “sits at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and technology, making it one of the most exciting players in the global gaming landscape today.”
A portfolio built for the global south
Founded in 2014 by Rathee and Gautam Virk, NODWIN has quietly assembled one of the more compelling esports portfolios outside the Western hemisphere. Its properties include DreamHack India and Comic Con India, and it recently acquired StarLadder, the Ukraine-based tournament organiser behind premier events in CS:GO and Dota 2. The company also serves as a long-term strategic marketing partner for the Evolution Championship Series (EVO), the world’s most prominent fighting game tournament, helping push it into new geographies.
Its geographic focus spans South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Backers include Nazara Technologies, KRAFTON, Sony Group Corporation, JetSynthesys, and the founders’ investment vehicle Good Game Investments.
What comes next
With UBS running the books, a board freshly reinforced with European media and gaming expertise, and revenue heading in the right direction, NODWIN is laying the groundwork deliberately. The esports industry has burned investors before with big promises and thin margins. NODWIN’s return to profitability, combined with a real portfolio of owned intellectual properties across gaming, music and youth culture, gives it a more credible runway than most. The IPO clock is now ticking.
