Gaming
Jaipur turns comic as the Pink City gears up for its first Comic Con
MUMBAI: The Pink City is about to turn technicolour. For the first time ever, Jaipur will host Comic Con India, bringing with it capes, creativity, and a dash of chaos that only fandoms can deliver. Scheduled from 4–6 January 2026 at the Jaipur Exhibition & Convention Centre (JECC), the event marks Comic Con’s debut in Rajasthan and it’s arriving with royal flair.
Organised under the Government of Rajasthan’s AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics) Policy, this edition isn’t just another pop-culture party; it’s a state-backed celebration of imagination, innovation, and industry. Partnering with Rajasthan DigiFest, the event will transform Jaipur into a high-voltage hub of art, tech, and storytelling where comic books meet cutting-edge VR, and cosplay meets career opportunity.
“This collaboration, supported by the Government of Rajasthan, aims to promote local talent under the AVGC Policy and generate employment by showcasing the state’s creators, studios, and startups,” said TiE Global Summit convenor Mahavir Pratap Sharma. “The addition of Comic Con enhances the spirit of celebration and creativity that Rajasthan stands for.”
With Comic Con India entering its 13th year, Jaipur becomes the newest stop on a nationwide fandom circuit that has already transformed cities like Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai into geek havens. The event will spotlight the evolving face of Indian pop culture where Suppandi shares space with Spider-Man, and anime fans line up beside gamers and filmmakers.
Visitors can expect a full sensory overload: interactive fan zones, gaming arenas, cosplay contests, VR adventures, and a merchandise bazaar filled with collectibles, apparel, and art from India and beyond. Workshops and panels with top comic creators, designers, and digital innovators will explore everything from storytelling craft to the business of fandom.
Nodwin Gaming, co-founder and MD Akshat Rathee perfectly captured the city’s creative spirit: “Jaipur has always struck me as a city built on imagination. From the jharokhas of Hawa Mahal to the mirrors of Sheesh Mahal, creativity lives in every corner. Bringing Comic Con here is our way of celebrating that energy of giving Rajasthan’s fans a home for their passion.”
Echoing the sentiment, Comic Con India CEO Shefali Johnson said, “Our goal has always been to bring fans closer to the stories and creators they love. Jaipur, with its rich cultural legacy and youthful vibe, is the perfect setting for our first edition here.”
From Ron Marz to Natsuki Hanae, Comic Con India has hosted global icons alongside India’s beloved homegrown heroes. And now, as cosplayers gear up to channel everyone from Chacha Chaudhary to Captain Marvel, the Jaipur edition promises to be more than an event, it’s set to be a movement.
With heritage as its backdrop and imagination as its headliner, Jaipur Comic Con 2026 is where the past and the future of storytelling meet in full colour, under the Rajasthan sun. Tickets are now live on the District app, so dust off your cape, shine that lightsaber, and prepare for a royal dose of fandom.
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.
