Skyesports Launches Gaming Mahotsav: A Pan-India Pop Culture IP Blending Gaming, Anime, and Regional Culture

Skyesports, a premier global IP and community builder, has announced the launch of Gaming Mahotsav, a first-of-its-kind pan-India hyperlocal pop culture festival that brings together gaming, comics, cosplay, live music, film launches, creator showcases, and regional culture under one banner.

Starting August 30-31 in the Chennai Trade Centre as Gaming Thiruvizha, each edition of this touring festival will take on a unique regional identity, infusing local language, culture, and fan interests, spanning six editions across the country. The tickets for the Chennai edition of the event will be exclusively available on the KYN app, a hyperlocal platform that enables like-minded people within a city to find their tribe through real-life experiences, events, and meaningful micro-interactions.

Gaming Mahotsav is a multi-format cultural experience. It’s where:

• Gaming meets cosplay
• Anime collides with Indian comics
• Merch alleys meet local art
• Creators perform live and engage with fans
• LAN tournaments take place in front of roaring crowds
• And the diversity of India takes center stage

“Gaming Mahotsav is our love letter to India’s pop culture fans. This is not just a gaming event, it’s a melting pot of regional identities, fandoms, and creativity. Whether you're a hardcore gamer, anime lover, chess player, or just want to vibe with creators and music, this festival is for you,” said Shiva Nandy, Founder and CEO, Skyesports.

While gaming remains a core attraction, with open LAN events across major titles—it’s the celebration of regional pop culture and the growing overlap between comics, gaming, and youth entertainment that makes this IP one of the most exciting projects in India’s festival space.

Furthermore, adding to the glamour, every edition will have a cosplay tournament, inviting hundreds of cosplayers to compete and showcase their craft, judged by top creators, anime experts, and industry professionals. Additionally, all editions of the Gaming Mahotsav across India will play host to an under-16 Chess championship, and the top players will then meet in Pune to determine the India champion.

Gaming Mahotsav will travel across India with six unique regional editions, each named in the local language:

• Gaming Thiruvizha – Chennai, August 30-31
• Gaming Habba – Bengaluru, September 27-28
• Gaming Panduga – Hyderabad, TBA, 2025
• Gaming Mahotsav – Mumbai, TBA, 2025
• Gaming Ulsavam – Kochi, January 10-11, 2026

Each event will be ticketed and curated to reflect hyperlocal elements, making every stop a completely different yet connected celebration. The Gaming Thiruvizha in Chennai will be the first edition of the Gaming Mahotsav series, and tickets will be available exclusively on the KYN app.

Commenting on the association, Gayathri Thyagarajan, CEO of Kynhood Technologies and Founder of KYN, said, "At KYN, our vision is to be a one-stop solution offering differentiated experiences and new age entertainment while fostering strong hyperlocal communities within cities. This vision perfectly aligns with what Skyesports is creating through Gaming Thiruvizha. We are excited to come on board as the exclusive ticketing partner for the first edition in Chennai. Gaming Mahotsav is more than a festival. It is a celebration of culture, creativity, and connection, which are values that deeply resonate with everything we stand for at KYN."

Today’s youth don’t just play games as they watch anime, stream creators, attend live events, and watch or cosplay as their favorite characters. Gaming Mahotsav taps into this interconnected pop culture ecosystem, which has exploded in India in recent years.

According to FICCI-EY 2024, India has over 450 million gamers, and comic readership and anime consumption are rising rapidly across metros and Tier 2 cities alike. This festival series.

Social media trends show rising engagement between comic-inspired games, cosplay, and music-based creator content, indicating massive demand for cross-cultural events.

President of India Droupadi Murmu is an inspiration for all of us”- Women Gamers said at Skyesports Grand Slam 2023

Skyesports organised the first event all-female Valorant LAN event in India

The visit by the President highlights the government’s commitment to bolster the promotion of female empowerment in Sports and Esports

The Honorable President of India, Droupadi Murmu presence at the India Gaming Show (IGS) during the country’s first-ever all-female Valorant event organized by Skyesports recently has created a long-lasting impact on the female gaming community.

Skyesports, one of the leading Esports tournament organizers in India, had orchestrated the all-female Windows 11 Skyesports Grand Slam, powered by AMD, featuring the top 3 all-women teams from India competing for glory. The event happened at the JetSynthesys Gaming Arena in the IGS.

The Hon’ble President discussed the scope of women empowerment in the gaming industry whilst also understanding the ways and means to develop the sector in a more inclusive manner with Mr. Rajan Navani, the Founder and CEO, JetSynthesys and also Mr. Shiva Nandy, Founder and CEO, Skyesports.

Commenting on the unique opportunity, Shiva Nandy, Founder and CEO, Skyesports said, “It was really exciting to meet our Hon’ble President Shrimati Droupadi Murmu at the India Gaming Show 2023. The Indian gaming and esports industry is in its golden age currently with huge growth opportunities in store. Skyesports has always aimed at ensuring gender parity in the Esports industry by organizing all-female tournaments and I am grateful for this chance to showcase what we’ve built as it motivates us to push harder and contribute to developing India’s gaming and esports industry in a much more inclusive manner. While India is slowly becoming a big player in the global games and tech market, we will be here to support that growth trajectory and put the country on the world map.”

The Honorable President of India, Droupadi Murmu presence at the India Gaming Show (IGS) 2023

Addressing the recently held IGS 2023, Rajan Navani, Chairman and MD, JetSynthesys said, “The Hon. Droupadi Murmu's inspiring presence at the CII's Indian Gaming Show 2023 was a reminder of the immense potential of India's gaming and esports industry. The show highlighted the brilliant minds driving this revolution and the enthusiasm of the millions of gamers in India. Skyesports has revolutionised the gaming industry with the Windows 11 Grand Slam receiving an overwhelming 5 million views across two days. Remarkably, female gamers have made their mark in gaming and esports, bringing in a new level of enthusiasm and excitement to the Indian gaming community.”

According to a report ‘Gaming: Tomorrow’s Blockbuster’ by TeamLease Digital, the Indian gaming industry is estimated to grow by 20% to 30% by 2023 and create approximately two lakh jobs by 2024.

The interactions with the president of the country was equally an opportunity to remember for the gaming girls who are now motivated to make a mark for themselves not only in gaming but in life too.

“I feel really great,” said Grace Esports’ Meow16k after becoming the Champion of the tournament as well as getting an opportunity to showcase her skill in front of the Hon’ble President; “first of all, this is the first all-female VALORANT LAN. Thanks to Skyesports for organizing such a great event and bringing a chance for us to play on stage. And yes I am feeling fabulous, first LAN and it's in our pocket.”

By regularly organizing women-only Esports tournaments as well as cross-regional competitions across various titles, Skyesports aims to provide a strong platform for budding athletes, especially women talents and also aims to capitalize on the ever-growing Esports industry by becoming a pioneer in the industry.

The Tournament was an initiative by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and supported by the Government of India.

About Skyesports - Skyesports is a leading esports and gaming venture based in Chennai, renowned for hosting major esports tournaments. Founded in November 2018 by Shiva Nandy, Skyesports has quickly grown to become one of the largest esports companies in South Asia. They have has an impressive range of original IPs, which include the Skyesports Championship, Skyesports League, Skyesports Grand Slam, Skyesports Skirmish Series, and more, through which Skyesports has touched millions of gamers across South Asia and beyond. Skyesports is a part of the digital entertainment and technology company, JetSynthesys.