Ashish Shelar to Drive Growth of Indian Esports as New ESGF Head

The Esports Games Federation (ESGF) announced on August 28 that Ashish Shelar, a minister from Maharashtra and veteran sports administrator, has been appointed its president. The decision was taken at a board meeting in New Delhi, where Nandan Jha, the federation’s founder, and chairman Ashok Dhyan Chand nominated Shelar. Their proposal received full support from Secretary‑General Gursharan Singh and all attending members.

Shelar, also a board member of the Asian Cricket Council, expressed gratitude to the federation’s executives and stressed that his appointment is an opportunity to give Indian esports a new trajectory. He cited the swift expansion of the sector, with an estimated 600 million Indians already engaged in esports, and announced plans to enhance player development, competitive platforms and international exposure.

With the Indian esports team set to travel to Japan for the Asian Games in September, Shelar said the federation will focus on preparing athletes for global competition while building a robust domestic ecosystem.