Director of Y&RS, Kethosituo Sekhose, officers and ESAN president during a press conference held on December 3 at Kohima.
Hornbill Esports Championship Season 2 announced
Morung Express News
Kohima | December 3
Esports in Nagaland is rapidly emerging as one of the fastest-growing sports among the youth, with the state gaining national recognition for its rising talent and active gaming community.
Sharing this during a press conference held this afternoon at the Directorate of Youth & Sports Resources, Director, Kethosituo Sekhose said Nagaland along with Mizoram is among the states progressing at a remarkable pace in India’s Esports ecosystem.
Announcing the Hornbill Esports Championship Season 2 and the Esports Music Festival 2025, Sekhose said the flagship esports event organised by the Department of Youth Resources and Sports in collaboration with the Esports Association of Nagaland (ESAN) is returning bigger and better this year. “Last year we saw an impressive turnout and over 1.5 lakh online viewers with more than 500 spectators who attended physically,” he said.
Hornbill Esports Championship Season 2 and the Esports Music Festival 2025 will be held at Indira Gandhi Stadium on December 8 and 9 with the Esports Music festival on the evening on December 9.
He informed that this year edition has expanded with new game titles and a higher prize pool, which has increased from Rs. 6 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh, made possible through sponsorship support. The featured titles include BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India), Mobile Legends (a new addition), and individual categories such as E-Chess, E-Football and FC25.
The BGMI has 1 qualifying teams one from Nagaland, Mizoram and Bihar, four from Manipur, seven from Assam and two from West Bengal with a total of Rs 4,50,000. Mobile Legends 5v5 has eight qualifying teams with two from Nagaland, one each from Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Manipur, Kerala and two from Assam with a prize pool of Rs 3,00,000 and Rs 1,00,000 worth of diamonds (in-game currency).
The 2025 championship online qualifiers conducted from October 16 to November 9 have registered 512 team and 240 individual competitors, marking the largest esports participation in Nagaland’s history.
Esports Music Festival on December 9
Following the prize distribution on December 9, the department will host the Esports Music Festival at Indira Gandhi Stadium, featuring Polar Lights and Abdon Mech from Nagaland, Guru Gee from Mizoram, and Zephyrtone from Pune.
Esports, a fast-growing industry with Olympic recognition
Sekhose underscored the government’s renewed focus on esports, calling it an emerging global industry and a potential contributor to Viksit Bharat 2047 and with esports, now recognised as an Olympic discipline by the International Olympic Committee, the Director said, it is crucial for Nagaland to position itself early.
He added that promoting esports also enables proper regulation and the introduction of digital detox programmes for youth. “Children should use this platform to express themselves rather than fall into addiction,” he asserted.
Citing challenges in securing major sponsors this year due to logistical problems, the Director said “despite starting sponsor outreach in January, some issues could not be resolved in time,” he said. However, he expressed optimism that future editions would see more private participation and sponsorship.
Sekhose informed that esports athletes from Nagaland are already making their mark, noting that during the Khelo India Youth Games, esports was introduced for the first time, and one Naga athlete bagged a gold medal.
He said that the state has companies from Naga youths who are developing Esports games, the ReDimension and graphic designers who are designing the graphics used in Esports for some of the best companies in India too.
Centre of Excellence for Esports
Sekhose maintained that the state government sees immense potential in the sector, both for youth empowerment and as a driver of economic activity and sports tourism.
The Hornbill Esports Championship, he said is emerging as an important milestone in the sports industry, reflecting the state government’s commitment to recognising and nurturing the talents of the youth.
Stating that Esports offers a unique platform for young people in the state to showcase their abilities with confidence, Sekhose said, it is dedicated to supporting them from the early stages of their fast-growing sector, and towards ensuring that talented youth are not left behind to compete grow and lead in this dynamic arena.
He maintained that Nagaland can become a centre of excellence where Esports can drive the state’s economy and create a full ecosystem where players, developers, marketers, and creators can collaborate and grow from within the state.
“This is a billion-dollar industry, and we hope Nagaland does not miss the bus,” he stated.
Asked about the limited number of Naga teams qualifying, ESAN president clarified that the selection was “fair and transparent,” based purely on performance in the online qualifiers held in October and November.
Sekhose stressed that inviting competitors from outside the state aligns with the government’s push for sports tourism. “If England can host leagues that attract tourists, we too can create opportunities through esports,” he said.
Responding to concerns that esports might reduce physical sporting activity among youth, Sekhose said, professional esports athletes also require physical fitness, sharp reflexes, and mental discipline.
