Education
Sri Chaitanya makes its next big move by bringing Grandmaster Gukesh on board
MUMBAI: In a strategic move worthy of a grandmaster, Sri Chaitanya Educational Group has pulled off a brand endorsement coup—roping in 18-year-old chess sensation and reigning World Chess champion Gukesh Dommaraju as its official brand ambassador. Now that’s what we call check and mate in the branding game.
This partnership isn’t just a flashy collaboration—it’s a calculated play aimed squarely at the brains behind India’s most competitive exams. Think JEE and NEET. Think stress, sleepless nights, and syllabus-induced nightmares. Enter Gukesh: composed, analytical, unflinching. In other words, exactly the kind of cool under pressure that exam aspirants aspire to be.
“As the youngest World Chess Champion and someone from the same age group as JEE and NEET aspirants, Gukesh will be able to connect with students on a deeper level,” the group said. He’ll be hosting mentorship sessions, breaking down mental tactics, and probably dropping a few checkmates in between chapters of organic chemistry.
Infinity Learn co-founder and Sri Chaitanya Group CEO & director Sushma Boppana couldn’t hide her enthusiasm, “We are delighted to welcome World Chess Champion Gukesh Dommaraju as the brand ambassador of Sri Chaitanya. His extraordinary achievements at such a young age make him a perfect role model for students… Gukesh’s ability to tackle complex challenges and stay composed under pressure aligns perfectly with the skills needed to excel in competitive exams.”
And she’s got a point. If you can outthink grandmasters and hold your nerve on a global chessboard, you can surely take on a three hour physics paper with 60 trick questions.
Gukesh, as calm and composed as ever, said, “Success in both chess and competitive exams hinges on strategic thinking, disciplined practice, and mental resilience… Together with Sri Chaitanya, we aim to empower young minds, shaping future champions in Engineering, Medicine, and beyond.”
This move is more than just symbolic. It reflects Sri Chaitanya’s evolving pitch—from rote-driven results to a more holistic, cerebral style of test prep. By pairing academic rigour with strategic thinking, the group wants to breed not just toppers, but thinkers.
And if they get to flex a world champion in the process? Even better.
Education
Scaler appoints new heads for its online and offline businesses
Amar Srivastava becomes chief executive of the online business and group chief product officer; Vidit Jain takes charge of the offline schools
BENGALURU: Scaler is shuffling its top deck as the AI skilling race heats up. The Bengaluru-based tech education company has elevated two senior executives to lead its online and offline businesses, signalling a sharper push into an AI-driven market.
Amar Srivastava, previously senior vice president for product and business, has been appointed chief executive of the online business and group chief product officer. Vidit Jain has been elevated to senior vice president and head of Scaler School, taking charge of the company’s offline education units, the Scaler School of Business and the Scaler School of Technology.
The company has also recently appointed Ratnakar Reddy as head of enterprise for India and the Middle East and North Africa, with a brief to drive partnerships with governments and enterprises for AI-led skilling programmes.
Abhimanyu Saxena, co-founder of Scaler, said the promotions reflect the company’s confidence in both leaders and the direction it is heading. “Amar and Vidit have been central to Scaler’s journey, and their elevations reflect our conviction in their leadership and the direction we are shaping as a company,” he said. “With leadership now in place across the business, we remain focused on building engineers the world’s best companies want to hire. In an AI-first economy, that mission is more urgent and more achievable than ever. Our next chapter is centred on building an AI-native workforce from India, equipped to compete in a technology-driven global economy.”
Srivastava brings over a decade of experience building education-focused ventures. He previously founded Intellify and was part of the early team at Doubtnut. At Scaler, he will lead the online business with a focus on growth, profitability and expansion into new segments, while strengthening the product ecosystem across the group. He is blunt about what the AI economy actually needs. “The AI economy does not have a shortage of tools. It has a shortage of engineers who can think clearly, build reliably, and keep learning as the ground shifts. That is what we are building toward,” he said.
Jain brings more than 15 years of experience across startups and consulting, including stints at MPL and McKinsey and Company. He will oversee growth and profitability of Scaler’s offline business. His priorities are immediate and unambiguous. “The offline experience is where depth gets built, and that depth is critical in the AI era. Over the next 12 months, our focus will be on consistent growth, stronger unit economics, and delivering outcomes for students while building long-term employer partnerships,” he said.
Founded in 2019, Scaler is valued at $710 million and backed by Peak XV Partners, Tiger Global and Lightrock India. Its parent firm, InterviewBit, has featured on the Financial Times’ Asia Pacific High Growth Companies rankings every year from 2021 to 2025. On average, Scaler’s learners see a 4.5x return on investment and a salary increase of around 126 per cent.
With leadership locked in across every business unit, Scaler is betting that the next wave of global tech hiring will be won or lost on the quality of engineers coming out of India. It is a big bet. But the numbers, and the promotions, suggest the company is in no mood to hedge.
