Gaming
Riot Games to host ‘Convergence’
Mumbai: Riot Games has announced plans to host Convergence, its first ever international VALORANT esports tournament in India in partnership with The Esports Club (https://theesports.club/). The tournament is scheduled to take place between 14 to 17 December, 2023 at the Manpho Convention Center in Bangalore.
Convergence represents Riot’s first international VALORANT esports event in India, showcasing its commitment to the growing gaming culture in the country. The tournament will bring together some of the top VALORANT teams from around the world, such as Global Esports, FUT, Furia, Vitality, and GenG, to compete on the same stage in India. The aforementioned teams play in Riot’s VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) in Asia, Europe and Americas, representing the pinnacle of professional VALORANT esports. They are set to compete against each other in the main event, commencing on 14 December.
“Convergence is us at Riot saying thanks to our amazing fans in India, who have supported us since the launch of VALORANT in 2020. We have also since grown the India team to deliver such hyperlocal experiences to our players here. With Convergence, Indian fans will finally get to see some of their favorite VALORANT athletes perform in person and also interact with them off-stage. It will be a perfect ending to the 2023 VCT season and we are just getting started here in India for such international events.” said Riot Games esports lead India & South Asia Sukamal Pegu.
“We are excited to partner with Riot Games to introduce their first ever international VALORANT tournament to the gaming community in India. This event will not only enhance the esports experiences in the country but also elevate India’s presence on the global gaming stage,” said The Esports Club founder & managing director Vamsi Krishna.
Gaming
Roblox appoints Sunil Rao as India managing director to drive growth
Former AWS leader to lead creator ecosystem, partnerships and local strategy
MUMBAI: Roblox has appointed Sunil Rao as managing director for India, as the company looks to deepen its footprint in one of its fastest-growing markets.
Rao, who will join in May, will serve as the senior-most representative for Roblox in India, leading local strategy, partnerships and day-to-day operations. His mandate includes strengthening the platform’s presence, supporting the creator ecosystem and aligning India’s market needs with global priorities.
A key focus area will be nurturing India’s growing community of developers and creators, enabling local studios to leverage Roblox’s tools for scaling and monetisation. Globally, the platform’s creator community earned over $1.5 billion in 2025, underlining the economic potential of user-generated content ecosystems.
“Roblox is at the forefront of enabling a new generation of creators and games. India’s scale, creativity, and entrepreneurial energy present a massive opportunity,” said Rao. “I’m excited to build a vibrant and inclusive ecosystem that empowers developers and creators across the country. Ensuring child safety and aligning closely with India’s regulatory framework will be among my top priorities.”
Welcoming the appointment, Roblox vice president international Zhen Fang said India represents a high-potential market for the company. “Sunil brings deep expertise in building operations across diverse markets, and his passion for community-centric platforms makes him the ideal leader to drive our next chapter of growth in the country.”
Rao brings over two decades of experience across technology platforms, venture capital and developer ecosystems. He was previously part of the leadership team at Amazon Web Services, where he led strategy and corporate business development across Asia-Pacific and Japan. He also served as a partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, working closely with startups and founders.
Earlier in his career, Rao played a key role in building developer ecosystems at Symbian, Nokia and Google, contributing to the growth of major mobile and internet platforms.
With India’s large youth population and rapidly evolving digital landscape, Roblox’s latest leadership move signals a sharper focus on long-term growth, local relevance and creator-led innovation in the market.
