Gaming
Rajasthan’s Hanuman Patel bags a cash prize of Rs 78 Lakh in PokerBaazi’s EndBoss
Mumbai: In a remarkable display of skill and determination, Hanuman Patel, a humble electrician from Rajasthan living in Hospet, Karnataka, has emerged as a shining star of the highly anticipated EndBoss 2023 tournament. Patel won a prize pool of Rs 78 Lakh and emerged as a silver medallist in the tournament.
As an underdog from a small town, Hanuman’s victory in the EndBoss 2023 is a testament to the immense potential and talent that thrives beyond the metropolitan cities in India. His achievement not only brings glory to his family and town but also serves as an inspiration for aspiring poker players across the nation.
Hailing from Luni, Rajasthan, Hanuman Patel runs a small electrical shop in Hospet, Karnataka, which further highlights his awe-inspiring journey from a local entrepreneur to a nationally acclaimed gaming maestro. His relentless spirit and determination demonstrate that with the right mix of passion and perseverance, anyone can achieve greatness, no matter their background.
Imbibing a famous Rajasthan saying in his Poker journey, “Life is not always a race, you need to walk through it at times to experience things,” Hanuman commenting on his feat shared that “Poker is a game of patience and constant learning. I started playing free tournaments and winning those gave me the confidence to participate in bigger tournaments. Winning such a significant amount has given a new meaning to my life. I am thankful to PokerBaazi for creating such a level-playing field for players like me to learn and achieve glory at the same time.”
Baazi Games CEO and co-founder Navkiran Singh shared, “Stories like Hanuman’s are the ones that move you. He proves that constant determination and perseverance are key to building a successful career in Poker. I am elated to see how online gaming in India is giving opportunities to people to change their lives while at the same time honing their skills that are also useful in the real world. I am certain that in the next few years, more players like Hanuman will have successful feats and careers in Poker.”
With the prize money of Rs 78 Lakh, Hanuman Patel is determined to provide a better life for his family. As a devoted family man, he envisions securing a brighter future for his loved ones and access to better education and opportunities for his children.
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.
