Esports Federation of India director Lokesh Suji has claimed the decision by the Indian Government to recognise esports is going to have a major impact ©Lokesh Suji

Esports Federation of India director Lokesh Suji has hailed the decision by the country's Government to formally recognise the discipline for inclusion in multi-sports events as a major breakthrough for helping it grow and opening the way to more widespread participation.  

The Indian Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sport announcement last month coincided with esports becoming an official medal at the Asian Games for the first time at Hangzhou 2022. 

"When we talk of esports, the biggest bottleneck is parental approval," Suji, also vice-president of the Asian Esports Federation, told Pari Match News.

"Before December 23, if someone was practising for a tournament, their parents would say they were wasting their time.

"Now parents can see the Government's support.

"Drinking is legal, but do we encourage anyone to do it? 

"No.

"Most brands want to be involved in esports, but it is perceived as teen patti, poker, fantasy sports, and other such activities.

"They might have tested the waters with small activations but now a brand can set up a long-term plan for esports."

The inclusion of esports as a medal event in the Asian Games at Hangzhou 2022, after it was a demonstration event at Jakarata Palembang four years ago, helped the Indian Government recognise it ©Getty Images
The inclusion of esports as a medal event in the Asian Games at Hangzhou 2022, after it was a demonstration event at Jakarata Palembang four years ago, helped the Indian Government recognise it ©Getty Images

Earlier this month, International Esports Federation President Vlad Marinescu claimed  India was "central" to the future of esports and welcomed the Indian Government's amendment of its rules to enable it to become part of mainstream sport.

At the 2018 Asian Games held in Jakarta and Palembang, five games were included as demonstration titles.

At Hangzhou 2022, there are due be total of eight medal events and two demonstration events

A year later, the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games made esports a medal event involving six medals in all.

AliSports, the sports arm of Chinese multinational technology company Alibaba Group, has partnered with the Olympic Council of Asia to organise the esports tournament at Hangzhou 2022. 

India won a bronze medal in Dota 2 at the first Commonwealth esport Championships in Birmingham last year ©GEF
India won a bronze medal in Dota 2 at the first Commonwealth esport Championships in Birmingham last year ©GEF

India won the bronze medal in the Dota 2 open category at the inaugural Commonwealth esports Championships in Birmingham last year.

The Indian esports team - captain Moin Ejaz, Ketan Goyal, Abhishek Yadav, Shubhnam Goli and Vishal Vernekar -- beat New Zealand 2-0 in a best-of-three games in the bronze medal playoff at the International Convention Centre in the English city. 

"We hope that this win will encourage more tournaments around Dota 2 and other esports titles, which will help the ecosystem as a whole to grow in our country," Ejaz said.

Dota 2 is one of the eight games that will be medal events at Hangzhou 2022, along with Hearthstone, League of Legends, Dream Three Kingdoms 2, FIFA, Street Fighter V and special Asian Games versions of PUBG Mobile and Arena of Valor.