Dilsher Singh Malhi: The Visionary Behind Zupee’s Gaming Revolution

One boy once monetized a pen-fight game in a classroom in Rajasthan. He charged entry fees, tracked winners, and organized mini tournaments. What looked like childhood mischief was actually early market research.

Decades later, the same intuition would be used to build a digital empire. It was an IIT Kanpur engineer who took psychology as an alternative to pure engineering logic. One of the researchers at EPFL had to leave the laboratories and Europe. He went home believing that India would be different in competing.

When other people were developing game applications, he created human tension. He learned why individuals reread, rewrite, and never give up. He knew that competition is personal even through a computer screen. And he created products that provoked that instinct unobtrusively.

He was not panicking when regulations changed, and markets shuddered. He turned around, refocused, and restructured with military accuracy. Profitability was in place; others were burning capital in pursuit of valuation headlines. Strategy and not noise follow.

There is one architect behind millions of Ludo competitions introduced online today. Dilsher Singh Malhi did not simply digitalize classic games. He made a simple play professionalized. By so doing, he redefined the casual gaming story of India.

Dilsher Singh Malhi - Biography

Early Life and Education of Dilsher Singh Malhi

Dilsher Singh Malhi was brought up in the state of Rajasthan in a strict family. He was curious rather than comfortable or conventional. He was always testing the waters on ideas, competitions, and small businesses. Even the games played as children turned into organized competitions under his supervision.

At school, he held pen-fighting matches with entry fees. He followed the involvement, controlled conflicts, and publicly gave out rewards to the winners. That experiment at an early age introduced him unobtrusively to incentives and behavior. He understood that people work harder when the game is played on real grounds.

He took up studies at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. At that place, he studied Chemical Engineering with critical application. He finished in 2017 with a good technical background. But he was not restricted to chemical equations and labs.

He was the leader of the SimuTech Club at IIT. The club majored in simulation, modelling, and engineering problem-solving. He organized workgroups, controlled projects, and promoted trials. During these years, leadership became a reality as opposed to a theory.

He graduated and joined École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland. He was a research associate, where he was engaged in the development of microfluidic engineering systems. This exposure made him become scientifically rigorous and worldly. However, what did not appeal to his entrepreneurial instincts was corporate research.

He got more interested in gamification and human psychology. He assumed that organized play would contribute to learning and interaction. Systems were taught to him by engineering, motivation by psychology. Such a mix would in the future form the basis of Zupee.

Career Beginnings and the Founding of Zupee

In 2018, Dilsher Singh Malhi co-founded Zupee with his IIT classmate Siddhant Saurabh.

Initially, Zupee launched as a real-money quiz platform. While the product gained early traction, Malhi quickly realized the bigger opportunity lay in casual competitive gaming.

By 2019, Zupee pivoted toward skill-based casual games, especially digital versions of Ludo.

This strategic pivot proved transformational. Zupee’s competitive Ludo formats allowed players to participate in short skill-based matches rather than relying entirely on luck. The format quickly attracted millions of users.

Under Malhi’s leadership, Zupee secured several funding rounds. One major milestone was a $30 million Series B funding round, which pushed the company’s valuation to nearly $500 million.

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Leadership Style of Dilsher Singh Malhi

Malhi’s leadership blends data-driven insight with deep psychology. He often says games must tap core human motivations like competition and achievement. He focuses on observing actual user behavior rather than just relying on surveys. Unlike many high-burn startups, Zupee prioritized profitability from the start. Malhi stressed sustainable scaling and healthy unit economics as they grew. This disciplined, product-first approach – understanding players’ minds and building for engagement – sets Zupee apart.

Dilsher Singh Malhi on the Future of Gaming in India

Malhi frequently speaks on gaming’s wider impact. In late 2024 he noted that Indian startups are shifting from just solving problems (‘painkillers’) to offering enriching experiences (‘vitamins’). He highlighted how gaming technology aids education and healthcare – for instance, game engines now help train surgeons and AR/VR can reduce travel and emissions. He argued that India’s strong digital infrastructure (UPI, Aadhaar, etc.) positions the country for exponential growth.

Zupee’s Strategic Expansion and New Initiatives

In September 2025, Malhi announced Zupee’s entry into eSports. He said India has “the fundamentals to build a thriving and inclusive eSports ecosystem” thanks to its 750 million internet users and rich gaming heritage. At the PlayCom conference, he urged industry players to build “a safe, inclusive and proudly Indian” eSports culture. He also explained Zupee’s decision to cut 170 jobs as “a difficult decision” needed to adapt to new gaming regulations.

A Strategic Move: Zupee’s Acquisition of Nucanon

One notable example of Malhi’s strategic thinking came in 2025, when Zupee acquired Australian startup Nucanon.

Nucanon specialized in AI-powered storytelling technology, which Zupee integrated into its gaming ecosystem.

This move allowed Zupee to develop story-driven gaming experiences, expanding beyond simple gameplay mechanics.

The company also introduced new products, including:

• Zupee Studio – a platform for short dramatic gaming content
• Zupee Plus – a subscription offering ad-free gaming experiences

These initiatives demonstrate Malhi’s ability to adapt to industry changes while keeping users engaged.

Zupee Lays Off 200 Employees Amid Internal Restructuring to Expand Short-Video Strategy

Zupee cuts 200 jobs in its second round of layoffs as part of internal restructuring to expand its short-video strategy and scale new digital entertainment formats.

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Conclusion

The story of Dilsher Singh Malhi is the story of technology-based innovation and flexibility. He used his engineering skills with knowledge in human psychology to make Zupee a market leader. As he termed, Zupee has established an entirely new category within the Indian gaming industry, and as such, it goes to show that the games based on culture do not care about geographies, but rather, are geographically boundless. Since being included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and guiding Zupee through the regulatory changes, Malhi's attention towards user interaction and sustainable expansion has been rewarded. The success of Zupee in its casual gaming and beyond is still steered by its audacious approach to leadership and use of data.

FAQs

Who is Dilsher Singh Malhi?

Dilsher Singh Malhi is the co-founder and CEO of Zupee, a popular skill-based gaming platform in India. He is known for turning classic games like Ludo into competitive digital formats.

What is Zupee?

Zupee is an Indian skill-based gaming platform that offers competitive versions of games like Ludo. The platform has grown rapidly and has over 130 million users.

What is Dilsher Singh Malhi’s educational background?

He completed his B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from IIT Kanpur in 2017 and later worked as a Research Associate at EPFL in Switzerland.

When was Zupee founded?

Zupee was founded in 2018 by Dilsher Singh Malhi and Siddhant Saurabh. It initially started as a quiz platform before shifting to casual skill-based games.