May 6, 2025: For the first time in its history, the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) will host esports as a demonstration event, marking a groundbreaking moment for India’s gaming and sports landscape. Scheduled to take place in Bihar from May 4 to May 14, the esports segment will run from May 6 to May 7 at the Patliputra Sports Complex, featuring popular titles including Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball across mobile and console platforms.
This inclusion marks a pivotal moment for grassroots esports in India, reflecting the nation’s growing recognition of competitive gaming as a legitimate sport. By featuring a wide range of titles—from high-octane mobile games to strategic classics like Chess—KIYG 2025 embraces a diverse gaming audience and signals a more inclusive future for Indian esports.
Among the featured titles, Chess stands out as a unique bridge between traditional sports and the digital arena. Once confined to classical formats, Chess has recently gained traction as an esports title, notably with its inclusion in the upcoming Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025, which boasts a prize pool of $1.5 million (approx. ₹12.6 crore). Companies like NODWIN Gaming have been instrumental in this shift, having hosted high-profile Chess events such as the Chess Super League and DreamHack India tournaments.
Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming, emphasized the importance of the initiative:
“The inclusion of BGMI, Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball at KIYG 2025 is a major step forward for grassroots esports in India. It reflects a progressive vision, especially with Chess bridging classical strategy and digital innovation. More importantly, it opens up new opportunities to discover talent in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities—areas often overlooked in the esports narrative.”
Further boosting India’s international presence, esports powerhouse S8UL has signed Indian Grandmasters Aravindh Chithambaram and Nihal Sarin to compete in Chess at the EWC 2025. S8UL will also field competitors in Street Fighter 6, EAFC25, Call of Duty Warzone, Tekken 8, and Apex Legends.
Animesh Agarwal, Co-founder and CEO of S8UL, applauded the initiative:
“It’s heartening to see titles like Street Fighter 6 and Chess recognized in a government-led event. This move broadens the competitive ecosystem beyond mobile gaming and builds pathways for talent across diverse genres. It signals strong government support and growing legitimacy for esports in India.”
Bihar has already taken proactive steps to promote esports, hosting the Bihar State Esports Open Championship and the Bihar Inter School and College Esports Championship in the past year. Other states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Nagaland have also launched grassroots esports programs, further legitimizing the space.
Mikhail Bhuta, Co-founder and Tech Lead at Dirtcube Interactive LLP, noted:
“Including esports in KIYG is a practical and strategic step toward building a strong foundation for new-age sports in India. We envision a future where homegrown games also feature prominently in national events like KIYG.”
India has already made its mark internationally, with Pavan Kampelli securing a bronze medal in eFootball at the 2024 Asian Esports Games in Bangkok. Looking ahead, esports will be an official medal event at the 2026 Asian Games, and the Olympic Esports Games will debut in 2027—highlighting the growing global stature of competitive gaming.
The inclusion of esports in KIYG 2025 promises not just to entertain, but also to identify and empower the next generation of Indian gaming talent. With strong support from both state and national bodies, the future of esports in India is brighter than ever.