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Former Viacom stalwart Sidharth Kedia joins Nodwin gaming as CEO
MUMBAI: Nodwin Gaming, one of India's premier and most recognized esports company has appointed Sidharth Kedia as its CEO to spearhead and drive the online gaming business in India. Following its explosive growth over the last 12-months, this is Nodwin Gaming's first senior management appointment. Sidharth will be based out of Mumbai where he’ll open the first regional office for Nodwin Gaming.
Announcing the news, Akshat Rathee, Founder and Managing Director of Nodwin Gaming said, “It's an exciting time for the firm as the overall e-sports scene in India is on the cusp of exponential growth. We are thrilled to have Sid joining us as the CEO at this time. With his rich experience in the media, entertainment, technology, and investment sectors coupled with his in-depth understanding of the gaming space and his proficiency in scaling businesses, I'm confident his leadership will provide the fuel that will propel e-sports and Nodwin Gaming to the next level. We wish him all the best. The CEO function will continue to report to the Managing Director and the Board.”
“In today's age of digital disruption where several of our cultural experiences are undergoing an online evolution, e-sports has become an unequivocal buzzword. The gaming business in India is finally coming of age. The journey of e-sports that began as a virtual battle between geeky gamers in the confines of their homes or cybercafés a decade ago, is no longer just fun and games but has evolved into a major organized sport recognized at the Asian Games and even the Olympics. I am equally enthusiastic and anxious as I take up my new role as CEO and aim to make Nodwin Gaming a global player when it comes to e-sports.” Said an excited Sidharth.
An Economics graduate from Delhi University and a Chartered Accountant, Sidharth is also an alumnus of TRIUM – a global Executive MBA program run jointly by the London School of Economics, Stern – New York University and HEC – Paris. Sidharth started his career in Information Systems Advisory with Ernst & Young in 1998. After which he joined General Electric’s prestigious Finance Management Program (run by Crotonville, US) in 1999 and post successful completion of the program, moved to a Black Belt (6 Sigma) role in GE Consumer Finance in Mumbai in 2002.
Sidharth then went on to work across the start-up industry for the next 3 years and in May 2007, he co-founded Ambit Pragma Ventures in Mumbai – a Private Equity fund, focused on providing growth capital to SMEs in India wherein he set up the Media & Entertainment practice. He worked closely with the portfolio companies, not only designing their long-term strategic plans but also developing short-term and executable milestones. His last stint before joining Nodwin Gaming was with Viacom 18 as Deputy Chief Commercial Officer. Given his unconventional and analytical approach and his penchant for taking calculated risks with a good blend of strategic foresight and tactical skills, Sidharth was entrusted with the additional charge to head Corporate Strategy, M&A and Data Sciences at Viacom18.
Sidharth is an avid mountaineer and when he’s not scaling Mount Kilimanjaro, he likes to capture the wildlife through his lens.
MUMBAI: History is getting a fresh rewrite this time with code, creativity and a longer arc in mind. Lens Vault Studios has announced its first original production, Bal Tanhaji, marking the official entry of the newly launched, tech-driven studio into India’s evolving entertainment landscape.
Arriving six years after the box-office success of Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, the new project expands the universe rather than revisiting familiar ground. Bal Tanhaji explores uncharted narrative territory, signalling a clear shift from one-off cinematic spectacles to long-format, world-building storytelling designed for digital-first audiences.
At the heart of this ambition is Prismix Studios, the in-house generative AI and technology arm powering the creative engine behind the show. The studio’s approach blends storytelling with next-generation tools, aiming to reimagine how Indian IPs are created, scaled and sustained beyond theatrical releases.
For Lens Vault Studios chairman Ajay Devgn the new venture represents a deliberate step beyond traditional cinema. The focus is firmly on building long-form intellectual properties across fiction and non-fiction, tailored to changing viewing habits and platform-led consumption. He said the studio intends to explore formats that remain largely untapped, while drawing on the team’s experience with large-scale cinematic storytelling.
Lens Vault Studios founder and CEO Danish Devgn echoed that sentiment, describing Bal Tanhaji as the studio’s first generative-AI-led IP and the starting point of a broader vision. The aim, he noted, is to carry forward the legacy of the Tanhaji universe while connecting with younger audiences through a blend of powerful narratives and emerging technologies.
With Bal Tanhaji, Lens Vault Studios is planting its flag early not just launching a show, but signalling a larger play for cinematic universes that live, grow and evolve across platforms. If this debut is any indication, the future of Indian storytelling may be as much about imagination as it is about innovation.
