A new kind of roar is rising across India. It doesn’t echo from cricket stadiums or wrestling pits. It comes from headphones in quiet rooms, from late-night live-streams, from neon-lit gaming arenas where teenagers battle not with brawn but with blazing reflexes and brilliant strategy. This is the world of e-sports and it may well be the biggest stage young India has ever stepped onto.
Around the world, e-sports has moved far beyond the fringes. It is now a booming global industry, valued at over $1.8 billion and expected to cross $2.5 billion within the next couple of years. More than 640 million people regularly tune into watch these tournaments, with viewership figures that rival the biggest football leagues. A Dota 2 online tournament called ‘The International’ recently offered $40 million in prize money. At just 16, a teenager walked away with $3 million after winning the Fortnite World Cup. Today, video games like PUBG, Valorant and League of Legends are hosting championships with prize pools of $2 million to $3 million every year.
With more than 1.5 million active players and nearly 20 million regular viewers, e-sports is gaining serious ground in India. Homegrown teams like S8UL and Global Esports are already earning international recognition and building loyal fan bases across continents. A proud moment came when an Indian Dota 2 team won a bronze e-sports medal at the Asian Games held in Hangzhou. Step by step, match by match, we are finding our footing and the world is starting to notice.
Shutterstock
The real promise of e-sports goes far beyond medals and tournaments. Its true strength lies in the thriving ecosystem it offers to young Indians. From game design, development and startups, to shout-casting, broadcasting, analytics and event planning, the range of opportunities is wide and growing. There are coaches and team managers, content creators and editors, physiotherapists, nutritionists and even mental health experts who work with e-gaming professionals.
E-sports is one of the rare spaces where identity is reduced to just a screen name. It doesn’t matter where you come from, what language you speak, or what your background is. The keyboard doesn’t recognise caste, class or gender. It only responds to skill, consistency and determination. That is what makes e-sports such a powerful platform for youth empowerment.
The government of India has already taken an encouraging and forward-looking step by officially recognising e-sports as part of multi-sport events under the ministry of youth affairs and sports. Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with some of the country’s leading gamers and content creators, listening to their experiences and engaging with their ideas about the future of e-sports in India. His personal interest in the sector has sent a strong message of support to the gaming community.
As a member of Parliament, I believe in the power of new ideas to shape the future of our nation, and E-sports is one such idea. The focus now must be on creating structured pathways for young talent, through training, coaching and grassroots exposure. e-sports can be integrated into programmes like Khelo India, supported by dedicated academies, public-private partnerships, and a formal federation to ensure fair play, rankings and long-term growth.
India’s young gamers are ready. With talent in their hands and ambition in their hearts, they are building a future that blends technology, creativity and competition. The stage is set, the world is watching—“Prepare for battle!”
Bansuri Swaraj is a Lok Sabha MP from New Delhi.