GAME for a JOB - Great Jobs in Indian Online Gaming Industry

The gaming industry in India today is not just fun and games. It is a serious trade and a worthwhile, rewarding job market for those who desire to enjoy an ‘animated’ life.

Times are exciting for the Indian gaming industry. It is fast becoming a stimulating career option for the country’s gifted professionals. Consider this: Nothing less than seven to eight million mobile games are downloaded every month. The size of the Indian gaming industry grew from Rs 7.9 billion in 2009 to Rs 9.8 billion in 2010 and is expected to grow to Rs 32 billion in 2014. The industry employed an estimated 1,800 employees in 2008 and is expected to have over 13,000 employees by 2012. Clearly, the industry, which extends across the mobile, PC, online and gaming categories, is headed to a place where it will create a different DNA of people and thus an ever-increasing career prospect.

There are two components to the opportunities available in this sector in India, points out Rohit Sharma, CEO, digital, Big Entertainment. “One is that there is a huge amount of outsourcing of work in terms of art and back-end work. This will increase exponentially as the industry grows globally. Numerous studios are opening up across the country to facilitate the creation of this work, giving rise to multiple opportunities for a lucrative job market.” “Secondly, many companies like Zynga, for example, are setting up development offices in India and see a resulting growth in this industry, as well as in the number of people who will become a part of it,” adds Sharma.

This Diwali, win some hard cash

This year, the stakes are set to go higher than ever before as Diwali card parties, underground and online tournaments vie for the top spot in attracting players and the money that comes with them. With cash prizes up to 50 lakhs (cumulative money) up for grabs and much more moolah at stake at parties, these gatherings have already started creating a buzz on the city's card circuit.
And to ensure that one has enough practice for the big day, there are currently a host of meets and practice sessions, both in the virtual and real world, with social networking sites including Facebook and Twitter being used to keep players updated on upcoming tournaments and registration details. While the older tournaments feature the traditional card games of rummy and teen patti, newer ones cater to poker players after a dramatic rise in its popularity in the last few years. However, their motive is the same - to ensure no one misses this opportunity to deal a full house.

Bollywood’s great gamblers

It's Diwali and time to roll the dice at some of the industry's hottest card parties. Here's a report card, past and present.

Remember the line from the Hollywood film The Colour of Money that went 'money won is twice as sweet as money earned.' Well, this sentiment looms large each Diwali in Bollywood.

In the week leading up to Laxmi Pujan, amounts running into several lakhs are lost and found at the famous Bollywood patta parties.

And the card parties correspond to increasing fortunes of the industry; just like the movies, the stakes at the tables are very high.

Diwali: From pujas to poker

Sleek iPods, edible family photos ringed with pink icing on cakes, and weekend holidays in Singapore. Believe it or not, these are some of the items on the Diwali wish-list this season. If gold and silver are beyond your reach, and steel bartan seem infra dig to buy this Dhanteras, indulge in a shiny new laptop. Bored with celebrating Diwali at home every year? Have a swinging weekend elsewhere, be it Goa or Singapore.

All this seems a far cry from what Diwali used to be 20 years ago. Remember whitewashing the house a month ahead of the festival; taking out your best bedsheets and curtains from the trunk; lighting coloured candles bought from the neighbourhood store; gorging on barfis, ladoos and pedas without fear of adulterated khoya or diabetes and exploding the noisiest crackers without dreading court rules and deadlines?

Bangaloreans enjoyed this play

Bangalore rocked on Saturday night, thanks to a brilliant play called The Game, that was staged a city hotel by renowned Bombay thespians Alyque Padamsee and Sabira Merchant.

The duo played two old Parsees who meet in an old age home after being abandoned by their family. They get to know each other better over several games of rummy and what ensues is a brilliant journey laced with humour.

Among the audience was Leena Singh, looking lovely in a black flowing gown and Manjusha, in a crimson saree, along with Vijay and Zarine Rekhi, Harish Bijoor, Chytra, Esther and Julie. Alyque and Sabira, who performed in Bangalore after aeons, received a very warm reception for their play on the loneliness that old age brings.