Gaming
Heena Chaudhari steps up as associate director for strategic activations at Sony group Corp
MUMBAI: Heena Chaudhari has gone up a level once again. The seasoned strategist and investment ace has been promoted to associate director – strategic markets’ activations at Sony group Corp , where she’ll be steering high-impact business initiatives across India and the Middle East.
With a power-packed portfolio that includes investment management at Sony Innovation Fund and a board observer role at Nodwin Gaming, Chaudhari is no stranger to spotting what’s hot in media, entertainment, and gaming before the world catches on. Now, in her new gig, she’s charged with turning strategic visions into high-octane action.
Her Sony journey began in 2023 as strategic markets’ activations manager, and in just under two years, she’s earned her stripes by crafting clever market entry plays and forging high-value collaborations in two of Sony’s most promising growth zones.
Before Sony, Chaudhari held leadership roles at Embold Technologies GmbH and Yoozoo Games, juggling strategy, HR, sales ops, and product development like a pro. She’s been in the trenches with startups, scaled up global projects, and even donned the CEO’s right-hand cap more than once.
Armed with over a decade of experience and a resume that reads like a masterclass in cross-functional execution, Chaudhari isn’t just moving markets—she’s redesigning how legacy giants like Sony grow in emerging ones.
Her superpowers? Investment foresight, operational precision, and boardroom charisma. With the gaming and streaming boom in full swing and the Middle East–India corridor heating up, Heena Chaudhari’s next play could very well be Sony’s best move yet.
Gaming
Formula 1 and Mumbai Falcons launch India’s first official F1 sim racing championship
Nationwide competition creates pathway from virtual racing to pro motorsport
MUMBAI: Formula 1 has teamed up with Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited to launch India’s first officially sanctioned F1 sim racing competition, marking a new step in the country’s growing motorsport ecosystem.
The championship, titled F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026, will offer a structured national platform for sim racers, with participants competing on the official F1 25 across multiple stages. The competition will begin with online qualifiers, followed by city-based simulator rounds, before culminating in a national final in Mumbai this November.
Open to players across PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox, registrations for the event will begin on 30 April via the Mumbai Falcons app. The format mirrors real-world racing, featuring official circuits, team liveries and competitive structures aligned with the global series.
Formula 1 driver Narain Karthikeyan said the initiative arrives at a time when interest in the sport is surging in India, adding that a structured sim racing platform could help identify and nurture the next generation of talent.
Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited managing director Ameet Gadhoke noted that the championship aligns with the team’s long-term goal of building a strong motorsport pipeline in the country and placing Indian talent on the global stage.
The launch also reflects broader momentum in esports, especially after its recognition under India’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025. By bridging gaming and real-world racing, the initiative aims to offer aspiring drivers a credible entry point into professional motorsport.
With interest in Formula 1 steadily rising and conversations around its return to India gaining pace, the new championship could become a proving ground for future racing stars.
