Esports Federation of India

E-Sports Federation of India
AbbreviationESFI
Formation2016 (2016)
TypeNon-profit organization
Registration no.CIN U74999DL2016NPL300732
PurposeGoverning body for esports in India
HeadquartersG-36, 1st Floor, G-Block
Outer Circle, Connaught Place
New Delhi, India
President
Vinod Tiwari
Director
Lokesh Suji
Treasurer
Prabhat Kumar
AffiliationsInternational Esports Federation
Asian Electronic Sports Federation
Global Esports Federation
Websiteesportsfederation.in

The E-Sports Federation of India (ESFI) is a non-profit organization established in 2016 as the national governing body for esports in India.[1] It was established pursuant to sub-section (2) of section 7 of the Companies Act, 2013 and rule 8 the Companies (Incorporation) Rules, 2014 bearing CIN U74999DL2016NPL300732 and License under section 8 (1) of the Companies Act, 2013 Section 8 License Number 107018.[1] ESFI is headquartered at Connaught Place, New Delhi.[2] The organization is a full member of International Esports Federation (IESF), Global Esports Federation (GEF) and Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF).[3]

History and formation

ESFI was established as a non-profit organization in 2016 to promote, encourage, organize, educate, train and control Electronic Sports (Esports) in India and to provide facilities for training in esports, to build and sustain the eco-system for esports in India.[1] The organization was formed with the vision to be the official organization in complete and sole in charge of all esports matters in India and to guard and enforce rules in co-operation with the state esports associations/federations of the country and in full and complete collaboration with the Indian Olympic Association.[1] According to ESFI President Vinod Tiwari, the esports eco system had been in place for several years in India and the ESFI, under their own resources, had been sending teams to events for the past 15 years as of 2023.[4] The organization has been sending esports teams to international competitions since 2007, including the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games and the Asian Games.[5]

Leadership

Current leadership

President: Vinod Tiwari serves as the President of ESFI and also holds the position of director of international and National Olympic Committee relations at the Olympic Council of Asia.[6][7]

Director: Lokesh Suji serves as Director of ESFI and has been Vice President for South Asia in the Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF) since the organization's inception. In April 2025, Suji was re-elected unopposed as Vice President for South Asia in the AESF for a four-year term.[8] Suji also became the first Indian to be elected to the membership committee of the International Esports Federation (IESF) for a three-year term in 2023, receiving 42 out of 70 votes in his favour during the Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) of the IESF in Iasi, Romania.[9]

Other officials

Treasurer: Prabhat Kumar serves as Treasurer of ESFI.[10]

Directors: Yugal Sharma also serves as a Director of ESFI.[11]

International memberships and recognition

ESFI is a full member of the International Esports Federation (IESF), Global Esports Federation (GEF) and Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF). ESFI is recognized as the National Governing Body for all esports in India with objectives to promote, encourage, organize, educate, train and control Electronic Sports (Esports).[12]

However, it's important to note that as of 2022, no federation or association has been officially recognized for esports by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of the Government of India. The government does not recognize organizations like ESFI, EDAI and EI as official bodies to oversee esports.[13]

Major achievements

Asian Games 2018

ESFI achieved its first major international success at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, where Tirth Mehta won India's first esports medal - a bronze in Hearthstone when esports was included as a demonstration event.[14] Tirth Mehta, also known as 'gcttirth', won the bronze trophy after a comeback victory against Vietnam's Nguyen Anh Tuan in the bronze medal match.[15] He had qualified for the Asian Games by defeating Sri Lanka and Pakistan in the qualifiers held by ESFI.[16]

WAVES Esports Championship 2025

India secured its first-ever international gold medals in esports during the inaugural WAVES Esports Championship (WESC), hosted at the Jio Convention Centre in Mumbai. The landmark achievement came through Danial "DaNiAL" Patel and Tejaskumar Hasmukhbhai Bhoi, who triumphed in eFootball and World Cricket Championship 3 (WCC3), respectively.[17] The championship featured national champions from five countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, competing in two titles.[18]

Commonwealth Esports Championship 2022

India won a Bronze medal in DOTA 2 at the Commonwealth Esports Championship 2022 held alongside 2022 Commonwealth Games.[1]

World Esports Championships

In 2023, ESFI organized the inaugural all-female CS:GO qualifiers where team Top-G emerged as champions, becoming the first Indian female CS:GO team to qualify for the global finals of the World Esports Championships (WEC).[19]

Key events and championships

National Esports Championships

ESFI organizes the National Esports Championships (NESC) annually to select players for international competitions. The 2022 edition commenced on 18 April 2022, featuring over 200 athletes competing in five popular esports titles: DOTA 2, FIFA, Hearthstone, Street Fighter V, and League of Legends.[20] The 2023 edition included competitions in CS:GO, DOTA 2, Tekken, and eFootball, and featured the first-ever all-female CS:GO qualifiers.[21]

WAVES Esports Championship (WESC)

ESFI organized the inaugural WAVES Esports Championship (WESC 2025) as part of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting's World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES). The championship was backed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and featured competitions across multiple titles including eFootball, WCC, and BGMI.[22] Beginning with qualifiers from September 2024 and running through January 2025, the tournament culminated in a grand finale in February 2025 in New Delhi.[23]

Objectives and vision

ESFI's primary objectives include promoting, encouraging, organizing, educating, training and controlling Electronic Sports (Esports) in India and providing facilities for training in esports, building and sustaining the eco-system for esports in India. The organization aims to select and control the Indian esports contingent to the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games & South Asian Games and various other International competitions under the patronage of the IESF, AESF, OCA, IOA & other Federations/Associations.[1]

Government relations and recognition

In January 2023, ESFI President Vinod Tiwari welcomed the government's decision to officially recognize electronic sports, describing it as "huge news" for all e-gamers in the country. He stated that the development would aid the federation in attracting sponsorship revenue and corporate backing to support e-gamers throughout India.[24] In 2023, ESFI clarified that the 28% GST imposed on online gaming would not apply to esports, with President Vinod Tiwari emphasizing that esports has been recognized by the Indian government as a legitimate sport, distinguishing it from iGaming, betting, and gambling.[25]

International representation

ESFI has been sending esports teams to international competitions since 2007, including the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games and the Asian Games. The organization met with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in February 2022 to discuss preparations for the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.[26] During the meeting, ESFI officials including President Vinod Tiwari, Director Lokesh Suji, Director Yugal Sharma, and Treasurer Prabhat Kumar presented the "Road to Asian Games" Jersey to IOA President Dr. Narinder Dhruv Batra and Chef de Mission Bhupender Singh Bajwa.[27]

See also

Esports in India

Asian Games

International Esports Federation

Asian Electronic Sports Federation

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "About ESFI". Esports Federation of India. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  2. ^ "Esports Federation of India - Company Profile". CB Insights. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  3. ^ "India - IESF Country member". International Esports Federation. 12 January 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  4. ^ "Esports Federation of India President Vinod Tiwari welcomes government recognition". Olympic Council of Asia. 7 January 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  5. ^ "IOA Meets With ESFI And Other Sports Federations For Asian Games 2022". Gutshot Magazine. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  6. ^ "Tiwari elected as President of International Kabaddi Federation". Inside the Games. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  7. ^ "ESFI President Confirms Esports Exempted From 28% GST". Khel Talk. 25 July 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  8. ^ "ESFI's Lokesh Suji re-elected as Asian Electronic Sports Federation South Asia VP". ANI News. 10 April 2025. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  9. ^ "Lokesh Suji, director of ESFI elected to membership committee of global esports body". Daijiworld. 4 September 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  10. ^ "IOA Meets With ESFI And Other Sports Federations For Asian Games 2022". Gutshot Magazine. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  11. ^ "IOA Meets With ESFI And Other Sports Federations For Asian Games 2022". Gutshot Magazine. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  12. ^ "India - IESF Country member". International Esports Federation. 12 January 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  13. ^ "Indian Government Confirms That No Federation Has Officially Been Recognized for Esports". AFK Gaming. 4 February 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  14. ^ "Asian Games: India's Tirth Mehta secures bronze in eSports". The Week. 2 September 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  15. ^ "Tirth Mehta Bags the Bronze Trophy for Hearthstone in the Asian Games 2018". Gameffine. 1 September 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  16. ^ "Gujarat's Tirth Mehta Bags India's First Bronze Medal In Esports Asian Games 2018". InUth. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  17. ^ "India bags historic double gold in Esports at WAVES Championship". India Today. 5 May 2025. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  18. ^ "India bags historic double gold in Esports at WAVES Championship". India Today. 5 May 2025. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  19. ^ "Team Top-G Emerges as Champions of NESC 2023". Digital Terminal. 20 March 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  20. ^ "National Esports Championships 2022: Tirth Mehta and Charanjit Singh Storm into Quarters". Kismasport. 25 April 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  21. ^ "ESFI announce dates of NESC 2023 for 15th World Esports Championships; inaugural CS:GO qualifiers for female athletes also set to be conducted". Saachi Baat. 2 March 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  22. ^ "ESFI to Host the Inaugural WAVES Esports Championship (WESC 2025)". Asian Electronic Sports Federation. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  23. ^ "ESFI to Launch WESC 2025 Qualifiers in September, Know more". Inside Sport India. 9 September 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  24. ^ "Esports Federation of India President Vinod Tiwari welcomes government recognition". Olympic Council of Asia. 7 January 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  25. ^ "ESFI President Confirms Esports Exempted From 28% GST". Khel Talk. 25 July 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  26. ^ "IOA Meets With ESFI And Other Sports Federations For Asian Games 2022". Gutshot Magazine. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  27. ^ "IOA Meets With ESFI And Other Sports Federations For Asian Games 2022". Gutshot Magazine. Retrieved 25 May 2025.

Official Website

ESFI on LinkedIn

Discord Server

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.