Maharashtra Minister for Electronics, Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence Development and Cultural Affairs Ashish Shelar has been elected President of the Esports Games Federation (ESGF). Shelar was elected at the federation’s general body meeting, attended by representatives from 22 states.

After taking charge, Shelar said efforts would be made to give esports a more structured, transparent and professional framework to attract investment and generate employment. He said esports should be developed beyond entertainment and gaming into a field offering skills, training, discipline and career opportunities for young people.

According to the federation, India has around 52 crore gamers, with about 11 crore people playing games every day. Tournaments are organised in 28 games, while esports viewership is estimated at 8 to 9 crore.

The ESGF aims to establish a structured system for esports, including national teams, selection processes, competitions, training, rules and international representation, similar to traditional sports. The federation expressed confidence that Shelar’s experience with various sports organisations would provide fresh impetus to the development of esports in the country.