Patna
For the first time ever, the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2025 will feature esports as a demonstration event. Taking place in Bihar from May 4 to 14, the esports segment will be held at the Patliputra Sports Complex on May 6 and 7. Games included are Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball on both mobile and console platforms. BGMI remains the most popular esports title in India, while Chess, traditionally a board game, now finds its place in esports. Chess recently featured in the Esports World Cup 2025 with a prize pool of $1.5 million (Rs 12.6 crore). NODWIN Gaming, a key esports organiser in South Asia, has played a major role in this shift, including hosting the Chess Super League and DreamHack India events. Akshat Rathee, NODWIN Gaming’s co-founder, said including these titles marks a major step for grassroots esports. He praised the combination of classic strategy games like Chess with modern titles, reflecting global esports trends.
S8UL, a top Indian esports team, has signed Grandmasters Aravindh Chithambaram and Nihal Sarin for the EWC 2025. They’ll also field players in Street Fighter 6, EAFC25, and more. S8UL co-founder Animesh Agarwal noted that the KIYG selection reflects a move to diversify beyond mobile gaming. Bihar has already promoted esports through state and school-level tournaments. Other states like Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are also growing grassroots esports programs. India’s presence in global esports is rising. Pavan Kampelli won bronze in eFootball at the 2024 Asian Esports Games. Esports will become a medal event at the 2026 Asian Games and debut in the Olympic Esports Games in 2027.
