The Duolingo English Test (DET), a global pioneer in digital English proficiency testing, has appointed Divya Rao as the Marketing Lead for India. This strategic hire underscores DET’s strong commitment to scaling its operations in the Indian market.
In her new role, Rao will lead the brand’s marketing strategy in India, driving awareness, student engagement and strategic partnerships as DET continues to expand its presence across the country’s rapidly growing study abroad ecosystem.
She brings over 12 years of strategic marketing experience, having worked with some of the world’s most influential consumer and entertainment brands, including Netflix, TikTok and ByteDance. Throughout her career, she has built a reputation for creating culturally resonant campaigns, forging impactful partnerships and connecting brands with audiences in meaningful ways.
In her five years at Netflix India, Rao was a key member of the marketing team, conceptualising and executing large-scale campaigns; from lighting up the sky with a 1,000-drone show to transforming the Gateway of India into the city’s own projector screen, her work became a reference point for innovative marketing in the Indian entertainment space.
Through her career, she drove brand growth and consumer engagement for popular shows and movies such as Money Heist, Stranger Things, Heeramandi, Khakee, The Royals, and Taskaree, among others. Prior to Netflix, she led entertainment marketing and partnerships at TikTok, ByteDance and Eros Now, where she built strategic partnerships with film studios, OTT platforms, TV networks, music labels, and sports organisations to design launch integrations, live programming, and scalable intellectual properties.
Some of her notable initiatives included #GharBaithoIndia, which encouraged creators and entertainment partners to engage audiences during the pandemic, and #MatKarForward, a public awareness campaign aimed at curbing the spread of misinformation. She also worked on entertainment partnerships and launch integrations for films, OTT releases, and live programming with leading studios and platforms.
Since its launch in 2016, the DET has seen rapid adoption in India. This momentum has been driven by a strong combination of product innovation, institutional adoption and locally relevant marketing initiatives. Over the years, DET has collaborated with leading cultural and youth-focused platforms, including partnerships with Dunki, Red Bull Moto Jam, Neeraj Chopra and BGMI, while also engaging directly with student communities through initiatives such as Why I Took the DET, Student Tribe and AIESEC. These efforts have helped position DET as a trusted, accessible, and student-first choice for aspiring international students across India.
