Highlights from the SOG Grandmasters Series: Rakesh Kumar's Zonal Victory
New Delhi, June 09, 2025 – Rakesh Kumar from Rishikesh has emerged as a rising star in India's skill-based gaming arena, gaining the prestigious title of Indian Rummy Grandmaster for the North & East Zone at the recently concluded SOG Grandmasters Series Championship. Held at the Hyatt Regency, Gurugram, the two-day tournament brought together some of India's finest minds, with over 1.5 lakh participants competing across rummy, chess, and chess for the blind.
The Indian Rummy Grandmasters (IRG) event alone witnessed a turnout of 78,000 participants. After intense rounds and competitive gameplay, 150 finalists battled it out in the finals, culminating in Kumar's strategic victory. The tournament celebrated not only individual brilliance but also the growing recognition of mind sports in India's digital and youth-driven ecosystem.
Organised by the Skillhub Online Games Federation (SOGF), the championship featured three major competitions: IRG, Indian Chess Masters (ICM), and Indian Chess Masters for Blind (ICMB). The ICM saw 3,500 participants, while the ICMB — conducted in partnership with the All India Chess Federation for the Blind — demonstrated the resilience and talent of visually impaired players, with 16 finalists selected from across India.
The inclusive and vibrant event concluded with entertainment performances and award ceremonies, with dignitaries such as Gaurav Dhyanchand, Tournament Director and President of the Dhyanchand Foundation, and D.P. Raturi, former Air Force officer and hockey player, in attendance. The grand finale also featured participation from notable personalities including Sports Minister of Haryana Mr. Gaurav Gautam, Secretary of Sports Ms. Sujata Chaturvedi, legendary cricketer Kapil Dev, Chess Grandmaster Koneru Humpy, wrestler Ravi Kumar Dahiya, boxer-politician Vijender Singh, and several leaders from the SOG Federation.
'At SOGF, we are committed to building a future where mind sports are given the same recognition as traditional sports,' said Adv. Nandan Jha, Founder of SOGF. 'Rakesh Kumar's win is not just an individual achievement but a testament to the growing talent pool in India's skill-based gaming community. We are proud to create a platform that celebrates intellect, strategy, and digital excellence.'
Founded by Adv. Nandan Jha, SOGF is a first-of-its-kind body aligning with international sports guidelines and India's digital growth vision. With support from tech platform partner Rummy Culture, the federation's unique 'phygital' format—combining physical tournaments with digital access—continues to democratize access to competitive gaming across regions.
As India's sports industry gears up for a projected $130 billion valuation by 2030, milestones like these underline the potential of mind sports in shaping the future of competitive skill-based gaming in the country.
Note to readers: This article is part of HT's paid consumer connect initiative and is independently created by the brand. HT assumes no editorial responsibility for the content, including its accuracy, completeness, or any errors or omissions. Readers are advised to verify all information independently.
Want to get your story featured as above? click here!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Discipline and Bhagat Singh: What drives Indian-origin US fighter Mansher Khera
New Delhi: Mixed martial arts can be unforgiving. Discipline, belief and hunger are some words thrown around in the sport. But for Mansher Khera, those reminders are inked into his skin. Literally. Mansher Khera in action against Aziz Khaydarov during their Road to UFC bout in May. (UFC) Etched across his ripped torso is the face of Bhagat Singh, the Indian revolutionary who went on a 116-day hunger strike and eventually died for his beliefs when he was only 23. Khera got the tattoo over a decade ago, long before he entered the octagon. 'That was my first tattoo,' he told HT, 'Honestly, for me, it was his mindset towards the cause. He was willing to die for it. That kind of commitment… that's what inspires me every single day.' 'I feel like every morning when I wake up and I look at that tattoo, it just keeps me disciplined, it keeps me sharp, it keeps me grounded.' It's that spirit that carried Khera to his Road to UFC in Shanghai in May to a unanimous decision win over Aziz Khaydarov. His opportunity came at 33, an age some might consider too late to start their UFC dreams but the New Jersey-based fighter isn't too fussed about that. 'I think about (age) all the time, if I'm being honest. But this is my passion,' he said. 'I don't have anything else in my life… I'm not married, I don't have kids. I might be old, but I don't have anything else and I'm training like an 18-year-old. I know my skills will speak for themselves.' Born to Indian immigrants in America, Khera's story is driven by resilience. His parents, Sukhdev Singh Khera and Abhilash Khera, arrived in America with 'zero dollars to their name,' building a life from scratch. 'I draw a lot of inspiration from them… their life was way harder than mine. So when I'm training and I'm tired, I think of that.' Although his parents were back in the US, Khera grew up in India, attending a strict boarding school where discipline was carved into routine. Waking up at 7 am, six-day weeks, and a culture of toughness. 'That environment hardened my mind,' he recalled. 'So now when I'm in the gym and I don't want to push through, I still do it. Because I've been through worse.' When he moved back to New York as a teen, the transition jolted him a little, as it would for a person of colour. 'I was somewhat of an outcast… people picked on me, and I got into a lot of fights.' However, martial arts allowed him to feel a sense of belonging, and soon, the gym became his sanctuary. The mat doesn't care about colour, after all. 'On the mats, it's simple. No one cares about your race or background. They care if you show up and work. That's how you earn respect.' Now, Khera splits his training between CULTR Fight Club in Jersey City, where his coach Rich Ebenhan has shaped his game and Unity BJJ in New York City, a hub for world-class jiu-jitsu players. Khera was also the first grappler that was awarded the black belt by the legendary Marcelo Garcia – arguably the best pound for pound submission grappler. 'I really took my time,' Khera, who started BJJ in 2009, said. 'First, I focussed on Jiu-Jitsu. Once I got good, I moved to kickboxing around 2017-18. Then I mixed it all up around 2021. Now I'm ready for the big stage.' The big stage is, of course, UFC. 'There are UFC champions older than me. Look at (Alexander) Volkanovski, look at Islam (Makachev). I know I can achieve that. I have nothing holding me down. It's attainable. No distractions. This is it.' He already has his eye on Australia's Quilan Salkild, the fighter who last defeated Indian UFC fighter Anshul Jubli. 'I'd love to fight him. I want that win on my record,' he said. But beyond the wins and belts is a desire to build something more lasting. 'I want my legacy to be honest. For it to reflect that I never quit. I showed heart, grit. And I stayed true to myself. I want people coming up in the game to look at me and say, 'He didn't sell out. He did it his way.'' Khera may not have the flashiest style or the most roaring trash talk. But he has an unyielding discipline, a fighter's spirit, the all-round skills and Bhagat Singh' commitment as a reminder. And it might just be enough to take him where he believes he belongs.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Saurav Ghosal calls off comeback, returns to retirement
Bengaluru: Months after Saurav Ghosal came out of retirement and won a PSA Challenger title in Sydney, the squash pro is coming to terms with a difficult decision. The first Indian male player to break into the top 10, Saurav had announced his retirement in April last year after spending over two decades on the PSA Tour. Early this year, he returned with the goal of making it to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where squash will make its debut. That dream has now been extinguished. 'Basically, I can't play anymore,' Saurav revealed to HT, fighting back emotions. 'My right hip is gone. There's too much degeneration. It's essentially early-stage arthritis of the bone. The specialists have said they can manage it for maybe 12-18 months – but three and a half years is something they can't guarantee. Apparently, the damage can't be reversed. So, if I don't have a guarantee that I can properly try for the Olympics, then it just seems futile in the grand scheme of things.' Had the Olympics been next year, Saurav says he would have put his body on the line. 'I would have tried to manage it with PRP injections and artificial cartilage injections if it were the Olympics instead of the Asian Games next year.' Next year's Asian Games, which he originally planned to play when he announced his comeback, 'doesn't make sense' for him anymore without the end goal of the Olympics. 'An individual Asian Games gold would be nice, but it doesn't pull me hard enough.' For the 38-year-old, the diagnosis hit like a cold shower from hell. 'Now when I look back, since early last year, I've been having issues with my glute and abductor. Only now do we know that it's because the hip is degenerating. When I was in Sydney, I wasn't able to stretch properly after matches because it was hurting. I played through the tournament and afterwards I was limping. I got an MRI done and that's when I learnt I have a condition called Avascular Necrosis (AVN), which is basically lack of blood flow to the bone tissue. Doctors think that the AVN has been triggered by early arthritis. I've been told that I might need a hip replacement at some point. It could be in five years or ten years.' He consulted top doctors, including a hip specialist who works with the British Olympic team. 'He said if I really want to play he'd help me as much as he possibly can. But six months down the line, it could just break down.' Eager to pull all stops for LA 2028, Saurav even considered going for a hip replacement surgery right away. 'It takes nine to twelve months for the prosthesis to set fully. The time frame to qualify for the Olympics then becomes harder because the Asian Games is obviously out. To make it via ranking in a draw of 16, I'll have to be top 15 in the world. To make it into the top 15 in two years, is difficult. Everything put together, it's pretty much like running up a hill the entire time.' He has broken the news to his innermost circle and key stakeholders – family, coaches and sponsors – and was recently announced director of high performance sports at Agilitas, a sportswear manufacturer. He's doing things he's never done before – coordinating with product designers on footwear and apparel for various sports, brainstorming marketing strategies, helping decide athlete endorsements and institutional partnerships and closing the loop with athlete feedback. 'The good thing is it's keeping me really busy so it helps manage the mental pain.' Still, the decision to call off his comeback remains what he calls an 'open wound.' 'I was at the International Olympic Committee athlete forum in Lausanne a few days ago, and in my head, I went, 'Damn, man, I can't play the Olympics.' It really hits you in some moments. It's going to take some getting used to.'
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Hindustan Times
I don't feel any pressure: Suruchi Phogat
New Delhi: Every time Suruchi Phogat steps on to the range, expect her to do something special. Such has been the meteoric rise of Indian shooting's brightest star this season. On Friday, Suruchi captured her third successive individual gold medal in air pistol at the ISSF World Cup in Munich, continuing a remarkable debut season on the senior international circuit. After impressing with gold in the first two World Cup legs in Buenos Aires and Peru, the recent win in a tough field in Munich showed her exceptional talent. The 19-year-old has displayed a fearless approach, resolute mind, and hunger to win. Up against Olympic and World Championships medallists in Germany, she stayed calm and focussed. After a solid start in the final, Suruchi slipped slightly but surged ahead in the finishing stages. If there were nerves, she didn't show any. 'I don't feel any pressure. I know people will have expectations but when I go into a tournament I just focus on my game,' Suruchi told HT. 'It's a very good feeling to win gold in such a quality field. When you win against an Olympic medallist, it boosts your confidence. 'I was not nervous but I was a bit disappointed with the final shot. It could have been better. In every tournament I learn something. I need to work on my technique,' says the youngster from Haryana. For someone taking her first steps in international competitions, Suruchi showed the stomach to fight against top rivals, producing her best in crucial moments. In qualification, she shot 588, equalling the national record held by Paris Olympics bronze medallist Manu Bhaker. China's Yao Qianxuan set a junior world record in qualification (589). Paris Olympics champion Oh Ye-jin of Korea and bronze medallist Manu were also in the field but could not qualify for the final. The final saw a gripping battle between Suruchi, Paris Olympics silver medallist (25m pistol) Camille Jedrzejewski, and Yao. Suruchi beat Camille by just 0.2 points, sealing gold with a score of 241.9. Yao took bronze. 'Suruchi has shown a very positive attitude and fighting spirit. If she continues like this she is going to go very far,' says national pistol coach Samaresh Jung. Samaresh pointed out how Suruchi was not perturbed even when her competition weapon was retained by the Lima airport authorities for two days before the World Cup. 'This is something I haven't seen in a young shooter. She was worried whether she would get the gun back but not about her match. When I told her that she might have to use her back-up pistol, she was absolutely fine. That was surprising for me. Not every shooter is comfortable using the back-up weapon in competition,' says Jung. The weapon was released only a day before the final but it didn't stop Suruchi from shooting her second World Cup gold. At the start of the year, Suruchi swept all three individual titles (senior, junior and youth) in the National Championships, going on to win at the National Games too. Her treble at the World Cups is a feat not matched by any Indian. Saurabh Chaudhary and Manu too had a similar rise in international shooting in 2018. Competing in an event in which Manu won an Olympic bronze, Suruchi has stolen the limelight from her illustrious compatriot. In Lima, Suruchi and Manu finished 1-2 on the podium. While Manu did not qualify for the Munich final, she was full of praise for Suruchi's performance. With the World Championships scheduled in Cairo this year, India will have a strong team to take on powerhouses China and Korea. Suruchi has managed to edge out Chinese shooters Jiang Ranxin, a two-time Olympic medallist, Qian Wei, and 20-year-old Yao Qianxun, which holds promise for Egypt.
