The first Hornbill E-Sports Championship Season 1 commenced on 6 December 2024 at Hall B, Indira Gandhi Stadium, Kohima.
Special Guest, NCS Secretary to the Government of Nagaland, Youth Resources & Sports, Anthony Ngullie, in his speech emphasized the significant shift in systems, particularly in sports, which have evolved from physical activities to digital competitions. He remarked that times have changed, and it is essential for us to adapt our mindset and embrace progress. Ngullie expressed his enthusiasm about the department’s ability to host Nagaland’s inaugural e-sports tournament and hopes it will benefit the youth in various ways.
Kethosituo Sekhose, the program chairperson and Director of Youth Resources and Sports, emphasized that our generation has undergone a revolution, noting that sports are no longer solely physical. With the rise of technology, it is time to explore new avenues and encourage our youth to pursue their interests while also earning an income, he said.
Sekhose also expressed hope that events like this would enable players from Nagaland to compete at national and international levels, aspiring for northeast India’s e-sports winners to shine on the world stage someday.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines, Sekhose highlighted that organizing such events creates employment opportunities, as they will also be setting up stalls and utilizing volunteers. He also highlighted that youths from our state are earning through these e-sports and other digital platforms.
The DYRS Director emphasized the importance of shifting our mindset to keep pace with technology, which has become a significant earning opportunity for our youth. He noted that young people possess remarkable talent, particularly in design and creative thinking, and we should create opportunities to provide them with a platform.
During the program, games like BJMI, DOTA 2, and FC 24 showcased.
Sixteen teams from the northeast will compete in the BJMI games, chosen from a pool of 84 teams after an online preliminary round.
In DOTA 2, five teams are competing, selected from 14 that participated in the preliminary round, while 32 teams are set to compete in FC 24.
Currently, there are a total of 200 participants competing in the event. Initially, around 602 participants took part in the online preliminary rounds.
The program began with an invocation by Vikhoto Zao.
On the second day, Dr. Mansukh L. Mandaviya, the Union Minister of Labour and Employment, Youth Affairs, and Sports, will grace the event as a special guest.
This event is being organized by the Department of Youth Resources and Sports.
