Esports Enters Mainstream: Khelo India Youth Games 2025 to Feature Digital Contenders
Esports joins the Khelo India Youth Games as a demonstration event, featuring BGMI, Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball. This move, anticipated to elevate esports to a mainstream sport, aligns with its inclusion in the 2026 Asian Games and the 2027 Olympic Esports Games, enhancing grassroots development across India.
- Country:
- India
In a groundbreaking development, esports has been added to the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2025 as a demonstration event, featuring popular titles such as Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball. Experts in the industry view this as a significant step toward establishing esports as a mainstream sport.
Esports is set to debut as an official medal sport at the 2026 Asian Games, further endorsed by the inaugural Olympic Esports Games scheduled for 2027. Ahead of its inclusion in KIYG 2025, Bihar hosted multiple state-level esports championships over the past year, laying the groundwork for this inclusion.
In addition to Bihar, states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Nagaland have proactively initiated grassroots esports programs. The Patliputra Sports Complex will host esports competitions on May 6 and 7, spotlighting major titles like BGMI and Chess. Commenting on this milestone, NODWIN Gaming's Akshat Rathee emphasized the opportunity this provides for discovering talent in underserved regions, setting the stage for global dominance by Indian gamers.
(With inputs from agencies.)
ALSO READ
Anna Muzychuk: A Chess Grandmaster's Journey Through Sacrifices and Successes
Gukesh Aims for New Heights at Superbet Classic Chess
Indian Chess Master Nihal Sarin Poised to Lead in Asian Championship
Youngest Chess Prodigy to Compete in Mumbai Tournament
Portugal's Political Chessboard: Democratic Alliance Leads Ahead of Elections
Google News