Rising from the heart of Nagpur, BGMI star Ankit Shukla, aka “AKop,” has made his city proud by helping Orangutan Esports secure a remarkable third place finish at the BGIS 2025 Grand Finals, held in Kolkata. Known for his amazing fragging skills and reflexes, AKop played a key role in the team’s dominant performance, earning them a massive INR 26 Lakh share from the prize pool.
AKop played outstandingly well throughout the tournament in BGIS 2025, where he finished fourth in the MVP list with 141 points and also got fourth place in total finishes with 63 eliminations. In addition, he finished fourth in most finishes during the Grand Finals with 34 finishes.
Speaking to SportsTiger during the BGIS 2025, AKOP had expressed the challenges of coming from a city like Nagpur, where esports opportunities and awareness are still growing.
Across India, everyone plays games. But parents don’t really accept it as a career, mostly because nothing big had happened earlier. But now, with LAN events and international slots coming into the picture, things are changing. When Indian players go abroad to compete, even the government and parents start to take esports seriously. I’m from a small city like Nagpur, and there are many like me. It's all about when the diamond gets discovered in the coal mine and when its true value is recognized.
About AKop
Ankit “AKop” Shukla started his esports journey with Nox Official in 2019 and currently plays for Orangutan. Known for his amazing fragging skills, he has won many MVP titles like BGMI Masters Series Season 3 MVP, ESL Snapdragon Pro Series 2024 BGMI MVP, and India Today’s Dangal MVP.
