“What better way to achieve my goal than through IDM—an interdisciplinary program that combines the best of design, engineering, and management.”
Manuj is the founder and chief product officer of MadRat Games and the creator of the “World’s First Hindi Word Building Game—AKSHARITTM. Used in 3,000 schools across India, the educational version is the result of his desire to re-create the experience of playing games with his grandfather. Manuj’s journey into serious games began shortly after graduating from Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, when he won one of India’s topmost business plan competitions for showcasing AKSHARIT. When asked during a job interview what made him unique, he replied: “Give me 10 random things, close me in a room for an hour, and I’ll make a game out of them!” Since then, Manuj has partnered with Nokia, Google, and Intel to launch more than 50 learning, wellness, and family game products. To realize his vision of touching one billion lives in a meaningful way, Manuj felt compelled to return to the drawing board.