In a shocking and detailed public statement, Mrinal Baranwal, a former Project Coordinator at prominent esports organization Skyesports, has leveled serious allegations of harassment, inappropriate behavior, and misconduct against the company’s CEO and Founder, Shiva Nandy, as well as other senior male executives. Baranwal, who worked at Skyesports for nine months before resigning in December 2024, shared her distressing experiences in a lengthy social media post, citing repeated “red flags” and a failure of internal HR to address her complaints.
“Hanging Out” Turns Uncomfortable: Initial Red Flags against SKYEsports CEO Shiva Nandy
Baranwal joined Skyesports in February 2024 and initially enjoyed her role. However, she alleges that CEO Shiva Nandy and Head of Esports Vijay Krishnan would frequently take her and other female colleagues to social outings like beaches, clubs, and restaurants under the guise of discussing work. These outings, Baranwal states, were unknown to other office staff and became the breeding ground for uncomfortable interactions. She recounts an incident where Sashank Bhandaru, Head of Global Business Partnership, allegedly told her he avoids talking to her often because he “very easily slips for badminton players,” despite being married with a child. Baranwal described feeling “horribly awkward” by this advance.
Escalating Inappropriate Behavior and Boundary Violations
The situation reportedly worsened when Baranwal was made lead on a new project in April and was scheduled to travel to Mumbai with Shiva Nandy. She details a series of unsettling events during this trip, including a suggestive remark from Vijay Krishnan about her clothing and an instance where Shiva Nandy allegedly invited himself to her hotel room to drink. Baranwal claims that after she politely limited her alcohol consumption and kept a distance, Vijay Krishnan called her, relaying Shiva’s displeasure that she didn’t “open up” to him.
Baranwal further alleges that Shiva Nandy engaged in inappropriate physical contact during casual beach walks, including forcing her head onto his shoulder multiple times despite her clear discomfort. She also states he asked intrusive personal questions about her marriage plans and suggested her relationship might hinder her career growth at Skyesports, framing it under the guise of “grooming” her to be the face of the organization.
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Grave Incident: Unauthorized Photograph During Religious Ceremony
The final straw for Baranwal, as she describes it, occurred during the auspicious Dussehra festival. While standing alongside Vijay Krishnan during a Puja ceremony, she alleges that he showed her pictures on his phone and then quickly swiped away from an image she recognized as a photograph of her from behind, taken that very day without her knowledge. Baranwal, who was wearing a brightly colored sari, says Krishnan avoided speaking to her for the rest of the day, seemingly aware of being caught. This incident prompted her to confide in close ones and ultimately led to her resignation the following week.
Allegations of Favoritism and Body Shaming
Baranwal also raises concerns about the rapid promotion and preferential treatment of Aishwarya Rajendran, who went from a Social Media Manager to a Business Manager in a short period. She alleges that Rajendran’s demeanor changed drastically with her promotion and that she engaged in indirect taunting and body-shaming. Baranwal further claims that Rajendran frequently traveled with Shiva Nandy, and when she questioned their shared hotel room during an event, her concerns were dismissed and she was ridiculed for interfering in their personal lives. She also alleges that a room listing was later edited to obscure Rajendran’s first name, making it appear like a male name.
Internal Complaints Ignored: HR “Ghosting” Allegations
Following her resignation, Baranwal states that she attempted to address the issues through internal channels. Since Skyesports reportedly lacks an HR department, she contacted individuals in Pune who she believed held HR responsibilities. One person even met her in person, and she was assured that her complaints would be taken seriously and that those responsible would face consequences. However, Baranwal claims that after 5-6 months, HR has “ghosted” her, with the only action taken being a “small POSH at Workplace seminar” where the accused individuals were allegedly absent.
Feeling that her internal efforts were futile, Baranwal decided to share her experiences publicly. She expresses her emotional distress and the feeling of walking on eggshells during her time at Skyesports, noting that her probation was even extended with the implication that her work performance was inadequate – a stark contrast to the earlier discussions of grooming her as the face of the company. She also mentions that HR only reached out to her after she posted a teaser tweet about her experiences, suggesting a reactive rather than proactive approach to her complaints.
Baranwal’s statement concludes with a powerful message of solidarity for other women who have faced harassment, urging them to speak up. She expresses her hope that her actions will serve as an example against “influential bullies” in the esports industry and prevent her experiences from being suppressed. She also highlights the concerning fact that, apart from four local employees, there are reportedly no other female employees left at Skyesports.
These are serious allegations that paint a disturbing picture of the work environment at Skyesports. The public disclosure by Mrinal Baranwal will undoubtedly put significant pressure on the organization to address these claims and potentially face scrutiny from the wider esports community.
At the time of reporting, neither Skyesports nor Shiva Nandy have issued any public statement or comment regarding the serious allegations made by Mrinal Baranwal. The esports community and concerned individuals await their response to these claims.
