Editorial illustration for ElevenLabs Names Karthik Rajaram India Country Head to Power AI Voice
ElevenLabs Taps Karthik Rajaram to Lead India Expansion
ElevenLabs Names Karthik Rajaram India Country Head to Power AI Voice
ElevenLabs, the startup known for its AI‑driven voice synthesis, announced on Monday that it has tapped Karthik Rajaram to lead its operations in India. The move signals the firm’s intent to deepen its foothold in a market where demand for lifelike, scalable audio is climbing across multiple sectors. While the company’s technology has already found users in podcasting and advertising, Rajaram’s appointment hints at a broader push into media, gaming, education and customer‑engagement platforms.
Here’s the thing: India’s sheer volume of digital content creators and its rapid adoption of AI tools make it a natural testing ground for new voice experiences. The partnership signals a strategic bet that the country will shape the next generation of conversational interfaces. As ElevenLabs rolls out its roadmap, the leadership change offers a glimpse of how the startup plans to translate its research into products that can handle the scale and nuance of Indian‑language content.
“India is at the epicentre of the global AI and digital content revolution, and ElevenLabs is uniquely positioned to power the next wave of human‑like, scalable, and trustworthy voice experiences,” Rajaram said.
"India is at the epicentre of the global AI and digital content revolution, and ElevenLabs is uniquely positioned to power the next wave of human-like, scalable, and trustworthy voice experiences," Rajaram said. "From media and entertainment to customer engagement, gaming, and education, the use cases for AI voice in India are exploding." Carles Reina, vice president, international at ElevenLabs, said India would play a central role in the company's global plans. "India is one of the most important markets for the future of AI voice and audio," he said.
"With its massive developer ecosystem and fast-growing digital economy, India represents a significant opportunity for ElevenLabs." The appointment comes as ElevenLabs accelerates its expansion in India, with a growing local team and deeper engagement with enterprises, developers and creators. The company has built a 13-member go-to-market team in the country and works with Indian platforms such as Meesho, Cars24, 99acres, TVS Motor, Mahindra, JioStar and Pocket FM. Founded in 2022, ElevenLabs develops AI audio tools for enterprises, developers and creators.
The platform is used globally to generate lifelike speech, build AI voice agents in multiple languages and create audio content at scale, including by employees at more than 70% of Fortune 500 companies.
Rajaram steps into a pivotal role. As general manager and India country head, he will steer go‑to‑market strategy and revenue growth while forging partnerships across AI, media and enterprise. His two‑decade track record of scaling tech businesses suggests he knows the local market, yet whether that experience will translate into measurable gains for ElevenLabs remains unclear.
The company frames India as the epicentre of a global AI and digital content surge, positioning its voice technology as “human‑like, scalable, and trustworthy.” From media and entertainment to customer engagement, gaming and education, the cited use cases are broad, but concrete rollout plans have not been detailed. Consequently, the real impact of this leadership change will depend on execution and market response, factors that are still uncertain. In short, ElevenLabs has bolstered its Indian footprint with an experienced executive, but the extent to which this will drive substantive growth is yet to be demonstrated.
Further Reading
- ElevenLabs appoints Karthik Rajaram General Manager and Country Head for India - The Economic Times
- ElevenLabs appoints Karthik Rajaram as India head to drive AI voice growth - News9live
- ElevenLabs appoints Karthik Rajaram as General Manager and Country Head for India - exchange4media
- ElevenLabs appoints Karthik Rajaram as General Manager and Country Head for India - BestMediaInfo
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Common Questions Answered
How is ElevenLabs positioning its voice technology in the Indian market?
ElevenLabs views India as a critical market for AI voice technology, with potential applications across media, entertainment, customer engagement, gaming, and education. The company sees India as being at the epicentre of the global AI and digital content revolution, with massive potential for scalable and trustworthy voice experiences.
What role will Karthik Rajaram play in ElevenLabs' India strategy?
As the new general manager and India country head, Rajaram will be responsible for driving go-to-market strategy and revenue growth for ElevenLabs in India. He will also focus on forging key partnerships across AI, media, and enterprise sectors, leveraging his two-decade track record of scaling tech businesses.
What makes India a significant market for AI voice technology?
India represents a massive opportunity for AI voice technology due to its large digital ecosystem, diverse linguistic landscape, and rapid technological adoption. The market offers extensive use cases across multiple sectors, including media, customer engagement, gaming, and education, making it a critical growth area for AI-driven voice synthesis.