Arena Animation launches Gurugram alumni chapter at meet

Arena Animation held an alumni meet in Gurugram, marking the launch of the training institute's 14th alumni chapter.

According to the company, more than 100 alumni and partners attended. Former students now working across animation, visual effects, gaming, comics, extended reality and other creative fields were present, underscoring Arena Animation's three-decade presence in India's AVGC-XR sector.

The Gurugram chapter joins an existing network in Indore, Vadodara, Nashik, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Siliguri, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Aligarh, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Pune. Arena Animation said more than 1,500 alumni are engaged across its chapters.

The event brought together alumni from creative and corporate roles. Those named by the institute included Gurmeet Singh, Director of the movie Mirzapur; Anjali Dutta, Vice President, Tech Mahindra; Mukund Sagar Vasishta, Director - Client Relations, Lakshya Digital; Nancy Kapoor, Design Head, Vedanta Oil & Gas; Vikas Saini, Senior Art Director, Aristocrat Technologies; Sachin Yadav, Creative Director, Mastercard; and Priyanka Kapoor, Partner, Neovation.

Arena Animation is a training brand of Aptech. Shajan Samuel, Senior Vice President & National Sales Head, Arena Animation, Aptech, also attended the Gurugram gathering.

Network growth

The alumni programme is one way the institute maintains ties with former students as the media and entertainment training market grows more crowded. By building local chapters, training groups can stay connected with graduates who have moved into film, games, design, advertising and technology roles, while also using those networks to support current students seeking industry advice and job opportunities.

Arena Animation said the Gurugram event included discussions on new technologies, changing career paths and employer expectations. Alumni also shared their career journeys with students and aspiring entrants to the sector.

The event also highlighted the institute's focus on courses linked to newer tools, including programmes in AI in Video Editing and AI in Motion Graphics & Design. Arena Animation also pointed to broader efforts in industry-academia collaboration and support for original intellectual property through an initiative called Arena Animation Originals.

Gurugram has emerged as a major business centre for design, media services, technology and digital content, giving training providers access to both employers and students. For firms such as Arena Animation, a presence in the city offers access to a broader pool of creative and technical talent than a stand-alone education market would provide.

According to the company, the local Arena Animation centre operates from a 5,000 sq ft self-owned site. It includes spaces for shoots, workshops, collaborative work and alumni interaction, alongside computer-based learning.

Three decades

The alumni meet also marked Arena Animation's 30 years in the training business. The company said it has trained more than 450,000 students globally since its launch in 1996 through a network of centres, with courses spanning animation, visual effects, gaming, digital, AR/VR and multimedia.

That footprint places Arena Animation among the longer-running education brands in India's creative training market, where demand has been driven by the growth of streaming content, digital advertising, mobile gaming and outsourced production work. Studios and media companies have increased hiring in specialist areas such as compositing, modelling, game art, editing and motion design, although competition for entry-level roles remains intense.

In that environment, training institutes often use alumni outcomes as a measure of credibility. Arena Animation said its students have gone on to work at organisations including DNEG, Rockstar Games, Zebu Animation, Green Gold Animation, ILM, NY VFXWALA, Network 18 and Digitoonz.

Sandip Weling placed the event in the context of the company's wider network. "It is inspiring to see our alumni from Gurugram successfully building ventures, leading creative enterprises and making meaningful contributions across leading studios and creative organisations. As Arena Animation marks 30 years, this milestone reflects not only our legacy but also the strong industry network we have cultivated over time. The Gurugram Alumni Meet celebrates these achievements while reinforcing our commitment to nurturing talent, strengthening alumni connections and fostering a collaborative ecosystem that inspires the next generation of creative professionals," said Weling, Whole-time Director & Chief Business Officer, Global Retail, Aptech.

Nitesh Jawarani, who leads the local centre, described the event's significance for the Gurugram operation. "After three decades of being associated with Aptech and Arena Animation, it is truly special for us to host our first Alumni Meet of this scale and bring together the very people who have been an integral part of our journey. Our alumni are living testament to what we have built over the years - from students who once walked through our doors to professionals who have gone on to build successful careers worldwide. This gathering is much more than a reunion; it is a celebration of the relationships, opportunities and shared experiences that have shaped our journey," said Jawarani, Business Partner & Centre Director, Arena Animation, Gurugram, Sector 14.

Preeti Jawarani pointed to employment outcomes as a central measure for the centre. "Arena Animation, Gurugram, has consistently placed strong emphasis on career-oriented education and quality placements, helping its students build successful careers in the animation, VFX, gaming, multimedia and creative industries. Over the past three decades, its strong placement record stands as a testament to this sustained focus on employability, industry readiness and nurturing talent that meets professional standards," said Jawarani, Academics Director, Arena Animation, Gurugram, Sector 14.