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The Esports Federation of India, in a bid for discussion on the growth of Esports and to hand over exclusive Hama training kits to the Indian Esports team that will be competing at the Hangzhou Asian Games in Hangzhou, organised a meeting with the Indian Olympic Association at their office in Delhi.
The event was graced with Mr. Kalyan Choubey, joint secretary & acting CEO of IOA, who presented the kits to Street Fighter V player Mayank Prajapati and FIFA ace Harman Tikka, in the presence of Lokesh Suji (Director of ESFI & vice president of the Asian Esports Federation AESF), Mr. Yugal Singh, Vice President of ESFI, and Mr. Prabhat Kumra, Vice-President of ES
Mr. Chaubey engaged in a conversation with the ESFI representative and Indian athletes in order to motivate them to the Asian Games, and to discuss the creation of an ecosystem to enable Esports in India to flourish.
Kalyan Chaubey (Joint Secretary & Acting CEO, IOA) responded to the questions of the Esports players present by saying, “We believe that Esports will have a bright future in India, where it is likely to generate a lot of interest, driven by the younger demographic in the country.” Esports has become a popular sport in recent years. The upcoming Asian Games are the start of a marathon, where we hope our talented athletes can help India gain a huge lead over the other competitors. India should be the first country that comes to mind when we discuss Esports. Just as the USA, Finland, Brazil, Spain and Germany are synonymous with football, so too is India with Esports. “The IOA is committed to supporting the athletes and ESFI in any way possible, as they strive for remarkable success and medals.”
The Indian government has recently recognized esports as a multisport event. It will make its debut at the Hangzhou Asian Games as a medal sport. India will send a 15-member team to compete on four titles, including DOTA 2, FIFA 22 Street Fighter V and League of Legends. The prestigious event is set to be held from September 23 through October 8.
Street Fighter athlete Mayank Prajapati said, “We were really happy after meeting Kalyan Sir and having a good discussion about Esports. The fact that he was as passionate about Esports and gaming as we were made the discussion enlightening. “A huge thank you to ESFI & Hama who provided us with gaming peripherals.”
The athletes qualified for the tournament after winning the National Esports Championship 22 (NESC 22), organised by the ESFI, last year. The training kits will be sent to the rest of the Indian contingent via courier.
Hearing Mr. Kalyan’s answers to our questions was reassuring. The session was motivating and helped us understand how the IOA supports our endeavors, as well as taking an active approach to broadening the scope of Esports within India,” said League of Legends player Mihir Ranjan.
The training kits, which include a headset, mousepad and keyboard, as well as a bag, will help athletes perform better when they represent India at international competitions.
“I am very happy that Indian Olympic Association has provided us with high-quality facilities. This gives us the motivation to do better and make our nation proud. “The facilities provided to us will allow us to step up our game during the Asian Games”, said FIFA athlete Karman Tikka.
The ESFI was instrumental in preparing Indian Esports athletes for the Asian Games. Their recent multi-year partnership will enable a comprehensive programme to provide the athletes the skills and knowledge needed to succeed on the international stage.
“We are very grateful to Mr. Kalyan Choubey and the IOA for sharing their valuable vision about the development of Esports and their support towards its growth. The Indian athletes who will be competing in the Asian Games at Hangzhou are a key moment in India’s Esports history. The kits they received today will help them prepare for the Asian Games in Hangzhou, and boost their performance so that they can play at their highest level. The ESFI team is excited to work with the IOA and help our athletes to make their country proud,” said Lokesh Suji. Director of ESFI & vice president of the Asian Esports Federation.
