CHENNAI: The gaming addiction for Akshay Sinkar started with Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in 2006. The BSc graduate had also pursued a diploma in engineering but he dropped out of the college in the first year itself. Now, he is a professional e-sports trainer based in Thane. He loves playing Dare to Dream and works as a coach and also an analyst for his team.
He and his team starts their training by nine in the morning with a warm off practice session. “Though we are all professional gamers, we have our own strengths and weaknesses. Thus, it is important that we learn from each other. It helps the player within us grow better," he explains. The players call it a day by 8:30 pm. “We must have time for our personal life too. If you concentrate only on gaming, it can drain you out. It is important for a gamer to stay motivated and focus on other aspects of life as well,” he added.
Akshay got interested in video games from a very young age and he fell in love with Counter-Strike the moment he started playing. “I love the competition and the thrill that the game provides.”
So what is his motto? The gamer says, “Make your own strategy, focus on your position, coordinate and keep playing.” He considers Entity Esports and Risky Gaming as his major opponents as these two teams have good players.
Though Akshay has qualified several times for the international tournaments, he was unable to attend one so far. He hopes he will be able to represent his country at the e-games level one day. He feels that gaming as a profession is not given enough support in India. People with a passion for gaming do not have an opportunity to find jobs in this sector.
So what is his advice for youngsters? The gamer says, “Keep playing, be focused and you'll be successful.”