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The Kerala government hosted the International Sports Summit Kerala (ISSK) from January 23 to 26 at the Greenfield Sports Hub, Thiruvananthapuram, announcing various initiatives around sports. During the sports summit, the Kerala government recognised the value of esports, kick-starting a partnership with organisations like NoScope Gaming and Beta Group to launch the Kerala Esports Apex (KEA).
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As per the report from Gossip.gg, the KEA from Kerala government, in collaboration with NoScope Gaming and Beta Group, is expected to create an esports ecosystem in Kerala to make the state one of the global leaders in the esports industry. The KEA will promote esports by introducing it to the students in schools and colleges while ensuring a world-class competitive gaming environment for them with advanced training programs and policies.
Apart from the training programs, the KEA will also give the message of health and well-being to the players in the esports industry. Notably, before the ISSK, the Sports Minister of Kerala, V. Andurahiman was quoted as saying, “We are looking to develop the sports economy in the state and perhaps we are the first state in the country to do so.”
“We are looking at new fields, new sports models and to develop sports from the micro-level, from the village, panchayat, and district levels which will help improve things at the state level. This will also help generate employment, through the appointment of coaches, in a big way,” he added.
Before Kerala, the state of Bihar was the first to introduce esports in schools and colleges, which led to the first-ever Bihar State Esports Open Championship. After organising it successfully, Jitendra Kumar Rai, the Minster of Art, Culture & Youth Department of Bihar, was quoted as saying, “The objective is to incorporate an esports training program in schools and colleges as part of a talent identification Program.”
