Is Bihar Leading the Way as E-sports Debuts in Khelo India Youth Games?

Patna, May 8 (NationPress) The Indian e-sports sector has taken a significant leap forward with its debut as a demonstration sport in the seventh edition of the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) hosted in Bihar. The home state made a remarkable impression by clinching several top-three positions across various events, establishing itself as a formidable player in this swiftly evolving field.

Eight states participated in the demonstration event, competing in categories including BGMI, Chess, Street Fighter 6, and eFootball. This event signifies India’s accelerating progression towards recognizing e-sports as a legitimate skill-based sport on par with traditional Olympic events.

Among all categories, BGMI remains the most favored e-sport in India. Sixteen teams, two from each state, competed for top honors at KIYG 2025.

Bihar’s teams A and B secured first and third places, respectively, while Tamil Nadu’s team A finished in second place.

In the e-football console event, Tamil Nadu’s Arnav Rajiv Parikh emerged as the champion, with Bihar’s Tanav Raj taking second place and Maharashtra’s Ronit Sagar Satam finishing third. Chess saw local contenders shine once again, with Rupesh B Ramchandra and Amrit Raunak taking first and second places, and Maharashtra’s Mohit Kamlesh Thanvi rounding out the podium.

In Street Fighter 6, Telangana’s Mandalapu Sreejesh claimed victory, followed by Maharashtra’s Parth Swapnil Pawar in second and Bihar’s Rohit Kumar in third.

The e-football mobile category concluded with an exhilarating final between Nagaland’s Lamgouhao Kipgen and Arunachal Pradesh’s Jipin Gongo, with the title going to the Northeast. Maharashtra’s Parth Varekar secured the third position.

Backed by the Bihar state government and the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the Federation of Electronic Sports Associations of India (FEAI) was pivotal in organizing the event, which followed a nationwide qualification tournament held on April 25.

Commending the collaborative effort, FEAI founder Vaibhav Dange stated, “This is a remarkable initiative, and I extend my gratitude to the Sports Authority of India and the Government of Bihar, along with their sports department and the entire team for incorporating e-sports into the Khelo India movement, a mission FEAI has been diligently pursuing over the years.”

Dange further remarked, “The Khelo India initiative has propelled competitive sports into schools and colleges, enhancing youth capabilities and providing a platform for talent scouting. Thus, the inclusion of e-sports is a highly welcome development.”

Looking forward, FEAI co-founder Abhishek Issar sees the introduction of e-sports in Bihar as a pivotal move towards global competition: “With the e-sports World Cup set for 2027, the KIYG platform could help us discover more talents to prepare for this global event in Saudi Arabia.”