Friday , March 29 2024

ESFI Conducts Special Meet With IOA To Present India’s Esports Contingent With Training Kits For Upcoming Asian Games

In a bid to discuss the growth of Esports in the country and hand over exclusive training kits produced by Hama to the Indian Esports contingent that will be participating at the Hangzhou Asian Games, the Esports Federation of India (ESFI) organized a special meeting with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) at the IOA Office in Delhi on Wednesday.

The event was attended by Kalyan Chaubey, Joint secretary & acting CEO, IOA who presented the training kits to Street Fighter V athlete Mayank Prajapati, League of Legends player Mihir Ranjan and FIFA ace Harman Tikka in the presence of Lokesh Suji, Director of ESFI and Vice President of the Asian Esports Federation (AESF), Yugal Sharma, Vice President of ESFI and Prabhat Kumar, Vice-President of ESFI.

Chaubey engaged in a discussion with the ESFI representatives and Indian athletes to motivate them for the Asian Games and talk about fostering an ecosystem that enables Esports to thrive in the country.

“We are confident about Esports having a strong future in India where it will generate a significant amount of interest driven by the young demographic of players in the country. Esports is a new-age sport that every country is playing and the upcoming Asian Games will mark the beginning of a marathon where we hope that our talented athletes help India take a giant lead against the other competitors,” said Kalyan Chaubey, the Joint secretary & acting CEO, IOA.

Esports recently gained official recognition as a multi-sport event by the government of India and is set to make its debut as a full-fledged medal sport at the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games. The country will be sending a proficient 15-member contingent to compete in four different titles including DOTA 2, FIFA 22, Street Fighter V, and League of Legends at the prestigious tournament set to take place from September 23 to October 8.

“We felt really good after meeting with Kalyan sir and having a positive discussion about Esports with him. His being as passionate about Esports as us gamers made the conversation enlightening for all of us and overall, it was a super productive experience,” said Street Fighter athlete Mayank Prajapati.

The athletes secured their berth for the tournament by prevailing in the National Esports Championship (NESC 22) organized by the ESFI last year. The rest of the members of the Indian contingent will receive their training kits via courier.

“Hearing Mr Chaubey answer our queries was quite reassuring for all of us. It was a motivating session that helped us realize how the IOA is supporting our endeavours and taking an active effort to further broaden the scope of Esports in India,” said League of Legends athlete Mihir Ranjan.

Comprising state-of-the-art gaming accessories including a mouse, mousepad, headset, keyboard, and a bag, the training kits will enhance the performance of the country’s athletes when they represent India on the international stage.

“I was really happy to see Indian Olympic Association support us with top-quality facilities. It gives us motivation to perform better and make our country proud. The facilities provided to us will help us step up our game at the Asian Games,” said FIFA athlete Karman Tikka.

“We are extremely thankful to the IOA and Mr Kalyan Chaubey for sharing their invaluable vision regarding the development of Esports in the country and extending their support in fostering its growth. India’s talented athletes competing at the Asian Games in Hangzhou will serve as a pivotal moment in the country’s Esports journey so far,” said Lokesh Suji, Director of ESFI and Vice President of the Asian Esports Federation (AESF)

The IOA and the ESFI will work together to promote Esports in India and provide a conducive environment for growth as well as ensure opportunities for budding Esports athletes to showcase their talent on the international stage.

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