Thrilled to witness rise of esports in India: Abhinav Bindra

Seeing the huge gathering of Hyderabad fans for the Battlegrounds Mobile India Series 2024 finale, India’s ace shooter and first individual Olympic gold medalist, Abhinav Bindra, said he is thrilled to witness the rise of Esports in India and Indian teams joining global tournaments.
The three-day Esports extravaganza at the Hitex Exhibition Centre in Hyderabad concluded on Sunday with the TEAM XSPARK emerging as champions on Sunday. This event marks the first-ever LAN finale of BGIS held in Hyderabad, saw the winners take home a grand prize of Rs 60 lakh from a total prize pool of Rs 2 crore.
Addressing huge crowds of fans and the gamers, Abhinav said, “I never had such a nice environment and such a great crowd when I was competing in India.” He stated that it is very impressive to see such an exciting gaming event, which is spectacular based on what he has seen so far.
Bindra said he was quite surprised when he saw a convergence of esports and conventional sports, noting that the dedication and hard work are very similar to what happens in traditional sports. He stated that his respect for gamers has increased multifold, as there are many commonalities in the physical aspect, mental aspect, recovery between esports and conventional sports. He believes both can learn from each other and become better and stronger.
Later on, CEO of Krafton India Sean Hyunil Sohn donated Rs 25 lakh from the Elite Pass sale to the Abhinav Bindra Foundation, ensuring athletes have access to the best practices in sports.
Bindra concluded by saying, “I’m grateful for Krafton and the esports community’s support towards the Abhinav Bindra Foundation. Our foundation aims to create sporting excellence and inclusivity. We run programmes such as scholarship initiatives, surgeries for athletes and mental health support for athletes.
The three-day esports featured intense matches and passionate fans from across the city and the country, showcasing the growing prominence of esports in India.
With over 5,000 spectators in attendance, the biggest battle royale esports tournament in India showcased the fan experience to a new craze with high-end setups. The much-anticipated Battlegrounds Mobile India Pro Series (BMPS) 2024 was also announced along with Krafton India’s 2024 esports roadmap.