Changing The Rules Of The Game

In an age where one can enter the riveting world of games at the touch of a button, there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes. Nitish Mittersain, Managing Director, Nazara Technologies, has weathered all stages of the online gaming revolution to stand tall with 30 million users worldwide. MARWAR meets the 37-year-old to learn more about his journey, both in the virtual and the real world.

- Vinita Kapoor Oberoi

Nazara develops and publishes mobile games in India and global markets (across more than 50 countries). Popular games such as Chhota Bheem Race, which takes players on a racing adventure, Virat Cricket Challenge, a fun arcade game for cricket lovers, and a live prediction game called CricBet are a few of Nazara’s successful ventures.

Mittersain did his schooling from Bombay Scottish and his graduation from Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics, both in Mumbai. His plan of doing an MBA from USA did not materialise since he launched his business while in college.

Getting into online gaming wasn’t a sudden decision, as Mittersain had a sacred love affair with technology since childhood. When he was eight, he coded his first game on a ZX Spectrum computer, which was gifted to him by his father. “I had set up my own Bulletin Board Service when I was in school; it was like a private Internet. This was before Internet had arrived in India. I had 10-11 computers in my room, with around 25 telephone lines connected to my system where people could dial in to connect to the modem. I was also a member of the Internet Users Club of India (IUCI), where I was fortunate to connect with the late veteran actor Shammi Kapoor,” he says. Kapoor continued to be his mentor till his last days. The duo shared the same passion and a wonderful bond for 25 years.

“In college, I saw my friends connect their phones to LAN gaming. I wanted to pursue this space and set up something with locally relevant content. That’s how I set up the company while still in college,” he says.