For the first time, the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2025 will feature esports as a demonstration event, marking a significant milestone in India’s gaming landscape. Scheduled from May 6 to 7 at the Patliputra Sports Complex in Patna, Bihar, the event will showcase popular titles such as Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball.
A Diverse Esports Lineup
The inclusion of games across mobile, console, and strategy-based formats reflects a deliberate effort to cater to a broad spectrum of gaming audiences. BGMI, with its massive player base, continues to dominate the mobile gaming scene. Meanwhile, the addition of Chess signifies a blend of traditional and digital strategy, highlighting the evolving nature of esports in India.
Bridging Traditional and Digital: The Chess Integration
Chess’s entry into the esports arena is noteworthy. NODWIN Gaming, a prominent player in South Asia’s esports ecosystem, has been instrumental in this transition. In 2021, they organized the Chess Super League, featuring national and international stars, and hosted Chess tournaments at DreamHack India 2024 across rapid and blitz formats.
Further emphasizing the growing stature of Indian Chess in esports, S8UL, a global force in esports and gaming content, has signed Grandmasters Aravindh Chithambaram and Nihal Sarin to compete at the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025.
Grassroots Development and State Initiatives
Before its inclusion in KIYG 2025, the state of Bihar actively embraced the esports movement by organizing the Bihar State Esports Open Championship and the Bihar Inter School and College Esports Championship over the past year. States like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Nagaland have also taken proactive steps to support and formalize grassroots esports programs.
Mikhail Bhuta, Co-Founder & Tech Lead at Dirtcube Interactive LLP, remarked, “Including esports in the Khelo India Youth Games is a practical step toward building a grassroots ecosystem for new-age sports. We believe that through this program, we’ll soon see national esports heroes rise from across the country and bolster India’s representation on the global stage.”
International Achievements and Future Prospects
India’s presence in the international esports arena is growing. Pavan Kampelli, also known as ‘Mr. Tomboy,’ secured a bronze medal in eFootball at the 2024 Asian Esports Games in Bangkok, marking India’s first-ever podium finish in the event.
Looking ahead, esports will be an official medal sport at the 2026 Asian Games, and the inaugural Olympic Esports Games is scheduled for 2027. These developments signify a global shift toward recognizing esports within mainstream sporting culture.
The inclusion of esports in KIYG 2025 is more than just a demonstration; it’s a testament to the growing legitimacy and acceptance of esports in India. With support from both state and national bodies, the future of Indian esports appears promising.
