Esports is new to international sports, but India is well placed to take on global giants. As the country gears up for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, our esports contingent is quite a unique blend.
A six-member squad will represent the nation in League of Legends, a 5v5 team-based strategy game where players assume specialised roles to destroy the opposing base.
Historically stereotyped as the ‘jobless loner with a time-wasting hobby’ in the country by people who are not aware of it as a multi-billion-dollar ecosystem, our gamers are far from these labels—they are high-achieving professionals and academics.
Leading the charge is 24-year-old Kochi-based captain Akshaj Shenoy, who balances his esports career with pursuing an MBA and assisting his family’s business.
He is joined by IIM Ahmedabad graduate Mihir Ranjan, cloud engineering fresher Aakash Shandilya, and Sanindhya Malik, who works for a Government of India enterprise.
The returning core, who secured a fifth-place finish at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, gets some fresh blood with debutants Ahmed Shahid, a chemical engineering graduate, and Rahul Bisht, a 29-year-old product designer.
Esports transitioned to an official medal event in the Asian Games at Hangzhou in 2022, following its 2018 demonstration debut in Jakarta where India's Tirth Mehta won a bronze medal in Hearthstone.
The current Indian team—who compete domestically for S8UL Esports—was drawn in Group B alongside 2022 champions South Korea, Chinese Taipei, and Hong Kong, and faces an uphill battle when the group stage kicks off on September 29.
“Representing India at the Asian Games again is a moment of pride for all of us,” Akshaj Shenoy, captain of India’s League of Legends team, remarked. “Hangzhou was an important first step for Indian esports as an official medal event, and since then, this group has had the chance to play together extensively and understand each other’s strengths and styles much better. We have also seen how much the level of competition in Asia has developed, so being drawn alongside South Korea and Chinese Taipei gives us a clear idea of the challenge ahead. As captain, I want us to stay focused on what we have built as a team, adapt to each opponent and make the most of every game we get to play for India,” he added.
The team progressed to Aichi-Nagoya by dominating the National Esports Championships 2026 and successfully navigating regional qualifiers.
“This is a lineup that has consistently proven itself as one of the strongest League of Legends rosters in India. They have spent years playing together, adapting to different competitive environments and developing a strong understanding of each other’s game. We at S8UL have full faith in their ability to take on some of the strongest teams in Asia, and we are looking forward to seeing them put their best foot forward while representing India,” commented Animesh Agarwal, Co-founder and CEO, S8UL Esports.
