New Delhi, April 1: Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Raksha Nikhil Khadse, participated in the Esports Conclave 2025, organized by the Physical Education Foundation of India (PEFI) and supported by Krafton and Invest India. The event focused on discussing the potential and future of esports and its role in global leadership. Esports made its debut as a medal sport at the recent Asian Games in Hangzhou and will be included as a medal event at the upcoming 2026 Nagoya Games.
During the session, Minister Khadse highlighted esports’ ability to improve digital literacy and generate employment opportunities. She emphasized the government’s commitment to mainstreaming esports as a recognized sports discipline. In 2022, India had around 600,000 esports players, marking a 300% increase from the previous year. This growth is expected to continue, with the number of players likely to exceed one million in the next five years.
Khadse commended the efforts of all involved in fostering an environment that nurtures esports talent and innovation. She underscored the importance of collaboration between the government and the private sector to fully unlock the potential of esports in India. Praising the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ recent decision to offer cash incentives to medal-winning esports athletes, she reaffirmed the government’s ongoing support for the development and expansion of esports in the country.
The conclave was attended by prominent figures, including Sean Hyunil Sohn, CEO of Krafton India; Amulya Sah, Senior Vice President of Invest India; Anandeshwar Panday, General Secretary of the Uttar Pradesh Olympic Association; Sh. Piyush Jain, National Secretary of PEFI, along with other officials and sports enthusiasts.
