CHENNAI: For many years, the gaming industry has managed to remain relatively anonymous among the general public, with very few gamers actually playing extensively or going beyond the basic level. Today, however, the eSports circle is gaining popularity in India with youngsters choosing to become pursue this as a career rather than a hobby. One such young gamer is Achuth K Chandran who has slowly stepped into the world of eSports.
A CA aspirant living alone in Bengaluru, Achuth is an ardent fan of both eastern and western cultures. His hobbies range from clubbing to watching anime. However, gaming has a special place in his heart, as he says, “Despite having many hobbies, my favourite is online gaming. I’m drawn to it because of the exposure I get by playing with people from different parts of the world.”
Like many Indian gamers, Achuth’s love for gaming started from childhood. “My family has told me that when I was two, I was glued to games being played on the screen by my older brother. He used to play Mario bros. I started playing games online when I was barely 10.”
However, his interests in gaming soon diversified. “It started with the simpler flash games but as I grew older, I found myself attracted to more challenging games. My brother then introduced me to the DotA when I was 14. and it has become a passion ever since,” he adds.
While Achuth is still mostly a casual player, he has racked up over 10,000 hours on DotA and DotA 2, and often plays in various tournament leagues. So what fuels his passion? “My favourite thing about gaming would be how it actively engages my mind. It makes me forget about the problems or all my worries feel so far away. It helps me focus, and gives me a great deal of enjoyment. And with DotA, a game with an unreachable skill ceiling, I can always play to get better than the day before.”
Achuth, like many, is an avid eSports fan, and follows international tournaments with zeal. He is excited about the future of eSports in India, and has high expectations. “Gaming has most certainly been on the rise in India. Take DotA for instance. We can see tournaments being hosted at the national level with a great turnouts and rising prize pools. A couple of years ago, BulBa, aka Kanishka Sosale, became the first Indian to make his way into one of the top teams that competed internationally. I look forward to seeing more Indians participating in E-sports,” he avers.