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India dominates South Asian qualifiers for female CS:GO Asian Championship
Mumbai: Living up to their name, India’s female CS:GO team performed to the best of their abilities to convincingly prevail against Sri Lanka in the South Asian Qualifiers and advance to the IESF Asian Championship which is set to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from July 10-17, 2023.
Led by team captain Swayambika Sachar (Sway) the vibrant team comprising Nidhi Salekar (Stormyyy), Shagufta Iqbal (xyaa), Dilraj Kaur Matharu (COCO), and Aastha Nangia (CrackShot) made lightwork of Sri-Lanka by defeating them by 16-3, 16-0 in the best-of-three matchup.
With an efficient and flawless display on both maps, the team lost only three rounds in the entire series courtesy of the individual brilliance of their roster that helped them thoroughly dominate the opposition.
Speaking on the result Swayambika Sachar, captain of the female Indian CS:GO team said, “We are extremely proud to have secured our spot in the Asian qualifiers and to represent India amongst all the elite teams from the continent. It is a remarkable achievement for all of us, and I couldn’t be happier with our scintillating performance against Sri Lanka in the South Asia regionals. The team has improved significantly in the last few months and we are constantly working on improving our gameplay by strategizing and practising rigorously. We want to be at our very best when we compete in the offline qualifiers in Riyadh and are determined to secure a spot for the Grand Finals in Romania”.
The five-member team created history by becoming the very first all-female CS:GO team to qualify for the South Asian regional qualifiers by defeating Team Purr-ple in the finals of the National Esports Championships (NESC) 2023, conducted by the Esports Federation of India (ESFI) earlier this year.
They will now take on the female CS:GO outfits from Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong in a bid to qualify for the 15 World Esports Championships (WEC) in Iasi from August 24 – September 4, 2023.
“Our female CS:GO team has grown leaps and bounds as a unit since the NESC 2023 and their success in the South Asian qualifiers is a testament to that. Their journey so far has been inspiring for all the women gamers in India that seek a career in Esports. As they embark on the upcoming Asian Championship, we extend our heartfelt wishes for their continued success and firmly believe in their ability that will help them advance to the 15 WEC,” said Esports Federation of India President Vinod Tiwari.
India’s DOTA 2 team comprising skipper Manav Kunte (mnz), Vishal Vernekar (HBK), Abhishek Yadav (Abhi-), Shahbaz Hussain (PinkMaN), Krish Gupta (Krish`), and substitute Jaikishan Malik (KaEL) shall be commencing with their South Asian qualifiers from May 15 onwards.
The Indian CS:GO (Open) team comprising of team captain Harsh Jain (f1redup), Jaspreet Singh (SpawN), Sadab Khan (SK wow^), Piyush Kalwania (clouda), Nikhil Kathe (N1kace) and substitute Omkar Thube (omkar09) already secured their place for the Asian Regionals on May 8.
The country’s well-renowned Tekken 7 professional Abhinav Tejan and eFootball athlete Ibrahim Gulrez have already secured their qualification at the 15 WEC that has a whopping prize pool of $500,000 (INR 4.12 crore) and is set to be the largest edition of the tournament to date with at least 130 countries participating in eFootball, DOTA 2, Tekken7, Mobile Legends, PUBG: Mobile and CS:GO.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
