Mayank Prajapati and Hemanth Kommu conquer NESC qualifiers

Street Fighter veteran Mayank Prajapati and eFootball star Hemanth Kommu put up stellar performances and emerged victorious in the National Esports Championships (NESC) 2023 organised by the Esports Federation of India (ESFI) for the upcoming Global Esports Games, which will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in December later this year. 

Prajapati (MiKeYROG), who is set to represent India at the upcoming Asian Games 2022 where esports will debut as an official medal sport, hardly had to break a sweat in the Street Fighter 6 qualifiers. In a field of 14 talented athletes that also included India’s other Street Fighter representative for the 2022 Asian Games, Ayan Biswas, the 33-year-old prevailed against Prateek Singh Bhaunt (b_HAUNT) with a score line of 3-1 in the final.

Speaking about his achievement, Prajapati said:

“I am thrilled to emerge victorious in the NESC 2023. Since the launch of Street Fighter 6, the game’s ecosystem has been steadily growing in the country and I hope it follows the same trajectory to flourish in the coming years. Thanks to ESFI for their continuous support and a huge shout out to the entire Indian Fighting Gaming community for their active participation. To come out on top against some of the community’s biggest athletes is a huge achievement and I had dedicated myself to rigorous practice by devising strategies with different characters to ace this challenge. Now, I am looking forward to hopefully representing my country in the two major international tournaments this year: the Asian Games 2022 and GEG to elevate the Indian fighting gaming community’s reputation on the global stage.“

Hemanth Kommu said:

“Securing victory in the eFootball qualifiers is truly a remarkable feeling. Through consistent practice and working on my strategies, I have been able to topple some of the notable names from the title and move one step closer to representing India at the global finals in Riyadh. I am grateful to ESFI for providing me with the opportunity and hope to make the country proud with my performances.“

Lokesh Suji, Director of the Esports Federation of India and Vice President of the Asian Esports Federation, added:

“We are delighted to see Hemanth and Mayank succeed in the national qualifiers once again. Their efforts and hunger to consistently become the best in their respective titles serve as an inspiration to aspiring Esports athletes of the country. Everyone at ESFI is confident that they will make a mark on the international stage against the world’s best athletes and bring laurels to the country.“

The Global Esports Games 2023 is scheduled to take place from December 11 to 16 and will feature a total of four major titles: DOTA 2, Street Fighter, eFootball 2023 and PUBG Mobile. India will be participating in three of the four titles in the Open category: DOTA 2, eFootball 2023 and Street Fighter 6.