Indian Government Recognizes Esports as Mainstream Sport
The Indian government has recognized esports as a part of multi-sport events and placed it under the jurisdiction of the Department of Sports within the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
Online gaming, on the other hand, will be overseen by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY). This move has been welcomed by the Indian esports industry, which has long sought to differentiate itself from traditional gaming.
Industry Reacts on this decision – Check what they are saying
Lokesh Suji, Director of the Esports Federation of India and Vice President of the Asian Esports Federation, said that the decision would lead to the recognition of an India Esports Federation and better opportunities and facilities for esports players in the country. The recognition of esports as a mainstream sport in India is expected to boost the morale of existing players within the industry, attract new players and brands, and encourage viewership for the sport.
“It’s a great start to the year and a great year for Indian esports,” Suji added. “We have been constantly working on establishing the difference between esports and iGaming, and finally, our efforts have been fulfilled. It’s only a matter of time until esports is placed in the same league as other sports like cricket, football, and basketball and has similar fan power, scale, and craze.”
Roland Landers, CEO of the All India Gaming Federation, welcomed MEITY’s appointment as the nodal ministry for online gaming and said that it would lead to a “progressive regulatory framework underpinned by consumer welfare.” This, in turn, would help the online gaming industry to grow and become a cornerstone of Digital India.
Rajan Navani, CEO and founder of JetSynthesys, said that the recognition of esports as a mainstream sport in India was a “great start to 2023” and would encourage esports to “level up even further in the years to come.” He added that the number of esports players in India had doubled from 300,000 in 2020 to 600,000 in 2021, while revenue grew by 29% from INR 7.5 billion ($102.6 million) in 2020 to INR 9.7 billion ($132.5 million) in 2021.
Animesh Agarwal, founder and CEO of 8bit Creatives and a former esports athlete, said that the decision was the result of the “collective efforts” of the gaming community over the past few years. “Esports athletes can now hope to receive the same recognition as any other sportsperson in India,” he added.
Revenant Esports CEO Rohit Jagasia called the decision “the greatest day in Indian Esports history” and said that it was the result of the “collective efforts” of the entire gaming fraternity and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. He added that the recognition
Parth Chadda, co-founder and CEO of Gamiana, said that the recognition of esports as a mainstream sport in India was a “major milestone” for the industry. He added that it would help to bring more opportunities and recognition for esports athletes in the country and attract more investment and sponsorships.
Anirudh Pandita, co-founder of Playtonia and Playtonia Esports, said that the decision was a “great news” for the industry and would help to bring more legitimacy to esports in India. He added that it would also help to bring more opportunities and recognition for esports athletes in the country and attract more investment and sponsorships.
Other industry experts also welcomed the decision and said that it would bring more legitimacy to esports in India. Many of them pointed out that the recognition of esports as a mainstream sport would help to bring more opportunities and recognition for esports athletes in the country and attract more investment and sponsorships.
Some also noted that the recognition of esports as a mainstream sport would help to shake off the misconceptions about esports and encourage more people to consider it as a passion or career option. They added that the recognition of esports as a mainstream sport would also help to grow the industry and make it more sustainable in the long run.
Wrapping Up
The recognition of esports as a mainstream sport in India is expected to have a major impact on the industry and bring more opportunities and recognition for esports athletes in the country. It is also likely to attract more investment and sponsorships, which will help the industry to grow and thrive in the coming years.
