EXCLUSIVE: IESF, SOGF meet Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, secures green flag
Boban Totovski, General Secretary of the IESF, and Shankar Aggarwal, President of the SOG Federation, met with the Minister and submitted a representation letter.
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The International Esports Federation (IESF), a leading global esports organization, along with members of the Skillhub Online Games Federation (SOGF), met with Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, to discuss the roadmap for the growth of esports in India.
Boban Totovski, General Secretary of the IESF, and Shankar Aggarwal, President of the SOG Federation, met with the Minister and submitted a representation letter. Together, SOGF and IESF will host the International Esports Masters in India, scheduled for March 2025.
A source close to the matter said, “Dr. Mandaviya patiently listened to both the IESF and SOGF representatives and gave his approval to support initiatives aimed at expanding esports in India. With government backing, alongside the support of global organizations, the SOG Federation aims to create a robust platform for gamers and publishers. This includes scouting exceptional talent through zonal, national, and international tournaments.”
A source told Storyboard18, “The government will provide full support to grow esports in the country. The IESF and SOG Federation will actively collaborate in India to coordinate with game publishers and organize tournaments. The government is keen to promote esports at the grassroots level, and both organizations will work together to foster growth and expansion in the country.”
A senior industry leader, who chose to remain anonymous, added, “The IESF’s initiative to actively engage in India will certainly benefit the country's esports ecosystem. The IESF’s global role has been commendable, and a similar approach is expected from the organization in India.”
The IESF will host the World Esports Championship in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in November this year. Last year’s 15th edition of the event featured 601 athletes from 111 countries competing across six game titles in Iași, Romania. The event, streamed online, broke the previous live viewership record, with over 700,000 people tuning in to watch the grand final.
According to a report by AWS and Lumikai, India’s esports sector is projected to grow from $40 million in 2022 to $140 million by 2027, with a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 32 percent. The report also found that the number of esports players in India grew from 150,000 in 2021 to 600,000 in 2022, and is expected to reach 1.5 million by 2027.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently met with top gaming content creators and esports players in India. The entire gaming ecosystem celebrated this recognition from the Indian government and expected a boost to esports and gaming industry. However, the esports industry is currently experiencing a slowdown, causing some organizations to shut down and others to struggle with creating profitable revenue models.
