Nagaland to host first-ever Hornbill Esports Championship

KOHIMA — The Department of Youth Resources and Sports (YRS) has announced the launch of the first-ever Hornbill Esports Championship, a milestone event set to take place during the 25th anniversary of the iconic Hornbill Festival, known for celebrating the vibrant culture and traditions of Nagaland.

This was announced during a press conference on Thursday at Indira Gandhi Stadium, Kohima by Director of Youth Resources and Sports, Kethosituo Sekhose, in presence of Assistant Director Nyuvitho Nyuthe and Youth Resource Officer (YRO) Naroenla.

“We are thrilled to introduce the Hornbill Esports Championship as part of this year’s festival. It marks a significant moment in the history of Nagaland, not only because it’s the first esports tournament hosted by the Government of Nagaland, but also because it highlights our commitment to the youth and the evolving landscape of sports and entertainment,” the YRS director said.

Sekhose informed that the Government of India has entrusted the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports with overseeing esports, and similarly, the state government has given this responsibility to the Department of Youth Resources and Sports.

He explained that the department is hosting esports to promote skill development among youth, provide global opportunities, advance technology and innovation, and foster an inclusive environment, all the while encouraging positive youth engagement.

Scheduled to run throughout the festival, the Hornbill Esports Championship will feature globally popular games such as Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Dota 2, and FC24 (FIFA). A cosplay competition will also be held, where participants can showcase their creativity by embodying their favourite gaming or pop culture characters.

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The esports event will be organised in collaboration with ‘Level Up Consultancy,’ an esports consultancy. The department expects 300-400 participants from Nagaland and other Northeastern states. This year’s edition is open only to participants from the Northeast.

The director shared that the department expects sponsorship or partnership from various computer companies and youth-related organizations.

Sekhose iterated that the department is organising the tournament because youth possess diverse talents in different fields, and esports is garnering global support. He noted that esports is becoming a mainstream event, with an esports Olympic event to be hosted in 2025 in Saudi Arabia.

In this context, he emphasised that Nagaland should not be left behind and should strive to be a frontrunner, enabling the state’s youth to achieve success at the national and international levels in an industry worth billions of dollars.

The total prize money for this year’s tournament is set at INR 6 lakh. Naroenla shared that the prize money for Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) is INR 3 lakhs, INR 2 lakhs for Dota 2 and INR 50,000 for FC24 (FIFA). The cosplay competition also carries cash prize of INR 50,000.

Registration has started and will close by the second week of October. Sekhose mentioned that the preliminary rounds will be held online (remotely), with the best teams selected to compete in the finals during the Hornbill Festival. The finals will be held at Indira Gandhi Stadium, Kohima, on December 6 and the 7th.

A registration fee of INR 2000 will be charged, and once registered, teams will be assigned slots for the preliminary rounds.

For more information about registration, tournament rules, and prize details, interested participants or teams can register via Instagram @hornbillesportschampionship_ or contact 8731830244 / 8837269793.