Asian Games 2022: 15-member Indian Esports team gets green light from Sports Ministry

Esports is going to make its debut at the Asian Games 2022 as a proper medal event.

In a groundbreaking achievement for Indian Esports, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) has officially approved the 15-member Esports contingent that will be participating in the Asian Games 2022 alongside other sports.

Esports is going to make its debut at the Asian Games 2022 as a proper medal event, earlier in 2018 it was there as a demonstration title. Initially scheduled for September last year, the tournament will now be held from September 23 to October 8, 2023. This multi-nation event will cement the industry mark into a mainstream sports scene.

Commenting on the Esports getting the official stamp of approval from the MYAS, Mr. Lokesh Suji, Director, of the Esports Federation of India and vice president of the Asian Esports Federation (AESF) expressed his happiness.

"Witnessing our Esports team receive the official endorsement from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is a moment that fulfills the dreams of everyone involved in the Esports movement in India. This recognition goes beyond just the 15 team members participating in the Asian Games 2022; it encompasses the entire Esports community in the country. Our community has relentlessly worked towards gaining acknowledgment for their dedication and the sport itself.

The ESFI has consistently emphasized treating Esports players as athletes, and seeing our efforts yield results brings us immeasurable joy. The boundary that once separated Esports athletes from traditional sports athletes has now disappeared, ensuring they are treated equally in terms of support and recognition.

We want to express our deep gratitude to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Indian Olympic Association for their dedication and their open embrace of the growth of Esports as a legitimate sport. With our sights set on the Asian Games 2022, we hold unwavering confidence that our immensely talented athletes will raise the profile of Indian Esports on the international stage, filling our nation with pride."

India will be participating in four of the seven total titles at the Asian Games 2022: DOTA 2, FIFA Online 4, League of Legends, and Street Fighter V: Champion Edition.

The 15-member Indian contingent for Asian Games 2022 is as follows:

FIFA Online 4 - Charanjot Singh and Karman Singh

Street Fighter V: Champion Edition - Mayank Prajapati and Ayan Biswas

League of Legends - Akshaj Shenoy (captain), Samarth Arvind Trivedi, Mihir Ranjan, Aditya Selvaraj, Aakash Shandilya, and Sanindhya Malik

DOTA 2 – Darshan Bata (captain), Krish Gupta, Abhishek Yadav, Ketan Goyal, and Shubham Goli

In the recently concluded seeding event for Asian Games 2022, FIFA star Charanjot Singh showcased his domination to secure the top spot in South Asia whereas Karman Singh clinched fifth place.India’s League of Legends team also secured favorable seeding by going unbeaten against Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan at their LAN seeding event in Macau, while the nation’s DOTA 2 team came second in their seeding group, finishing in the top eight in the overall event that was conducted online.The country’s ace Street Fighter V athletes Ayan Biswas and Mayank Prajapati secured fifth and sixth place respectively in their seeding event.