Gaming
Nazara Technologies COO Sudhir Kamath cashes out chips after impressive run
MUMBAI: In a departure, that’s sent ripples through India’s gaming industry, Nazara Technologies’ chief operating officer Sudhir Kamath is folding his hand after a two-and-a-half year winning streak.
The gaming and sports media powerhouse confirmed yesterday that Kamath will step down from his post on 1 April, with the veteran executive citing family reasons for his departure from the Mumbai-based firm’s C-suite. It made this declaration through a regulatory filing with the Bombay stock exchange.
“Kamath is exchanging his corporate royal flush for a full house back home,” quipped one industry insider, referencing the executive’s previous life as co-founder and CEO of online poker platform 9stacks, where he dealt cards for over five years before Nazara poached him in October 2022.
His decision to relocate to his native city marks the end of a diverse career that has seen him play across multiple tables – from McKinsey’s consulting halls and Nigerian oil fields to the competitive word tiles of the Scrabble Association of India, where he spelled out success as president from 2020 to 2022.
During his tenure at Nazara, Kamath helped the company level up its operational strategy while navigating the increasingly competitive gaming landscape. industry analysts suggest his departure comes at a pivotal moment as India’s gaming sector faces regulatory challenges and fierce competition from international players.
While Nazara’s managing director Nitish Mittersain and board has yet to name a successor, the company’s shares remained stable following the announcement, suggesting investors aren’t throwing in their cards just yet. The firm continues to expand its portfolio across esports, gamified learning and mobile gaming.
For Kamath, who once turned an amazing return as an early investor in fruit exporter INI Farms, this latest move appears less about game over and more about selecting a new avatar closer to home.
Gaming
DPIIT partners with Krafton to boost tech-media startups
New MoU aims to accelerate innovation in gaming, esports and AI-driven entertainment.
MUMBAI: When government meets gaming, sparks are bound to fly and this time, the partnership promises to level up India’s startup scene in more ways than one. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Krafton India Pvt. Ltd. to support early-stage startups working at the intersection of technology and media. The agreement, formalised on Thursday, reflects a growing effort by policymakers to harness private-sector expertise for the country’s booming digital entertainment ecosystem.
Under the partnership, selected startups will gain access to mentorship, industry networks and structured opportunities to engage with established players. The initiative is designed to help young companies move from prototype to market-ready products, test concepts, secure market access and integrate into larger industry ecosystems.
Sanjiv, a joint secretary at DPIIT, described the collaboration as part of a broader strategy to strengthen India’s digital and creative economy. He emphasised that such alliances are essential for helping startups develop globally competitive solutions in emerging sectors such as online gaming, esports, interactive media and artificial intelligence.
The programme will feature innovation challenges under the government’s startup initiatives, along with hackathons, workshops and masterclasses covering game design, animation, immersive technologies and AI applications. Selected startups may also be considered for pilot projects with industry partners based on their performance.
In a sector where ideas move at the speed of a battle royale, this partnership could be the ultimate power-up giving promising startups the mentorship and exposure needed to turn creative sparks into sustainable success stories.
