Press Note
Imagine the picture of a typical video-gamer! Were you dreaming about someone wearing jeans and boots, slipping on a pair of new, high-quality headphones, and confidently rocking a t-shirt with a game? Now, be honest: Did you picture a guy when you conjured up this image and if you did, you’re not alone. Although gender ratio in gaming has become more equal in recent years, the lingering stereotype remains that gaming is a ‘guy thing’.
Well, even that is so, NODWIN Gaming believes otherwise. We believe that skillsets regardless of gender bias outweigh all other parameters that determine the performance of a gamer. NODWIN Gaming salutes the women that have broken the glass ceiling in the ecosystem of esports and dared to make a mark for themselves.
Esports emphasizes problem-solving, fine motor control, strategy, and preparation, imagination, and strong communication skills which are all gender-neutral and women possess these skills as much as their male counterparts do.
Meet India’s top two women gamers who’ve been successfully competing with their male counterparts in PUBG Mobile. Armed with a fiery passion for the sport and gender-neutral skill sets that include speed, agility, communication, teamwork, hand-eye coordination, good reflexes, fast reaction time, and the ability to make split-second decisions, these women have taken professional gaming to another level while encouraging more women to hop on to the bandwagon.
- Sanya Khatri, merely 17 years old is popular with her digital identity as ‘SANYAHAH’ in the PUBG MOBILE with her team ‘Xhibit’. She grew up watching her uncle play games, developed a passion for the same, and started playing PC games like Call of Duty and Assassin’s Creed. Despite discouragement and pressure to quit, she soon realized Gaming as a therapy for her. Although it was scary for her to compete with the top pro players of India, she established herself in the support and assaulter role in her team. Her preferred loadout is M4 and Beryl. However, she is also pursuing ‘Psychology’ in her undergrad.
- Simran Dhillon aka “Rage” plays along with her team ‘Xhibit’ in PUBG MOBILE. She is based out of Kolkata and is one of the most recognizable players in ESL India Premiership. She played along with the top gamers of India which helped her to topple over the fear of performance. Constant support from her mother and friends encouraged her to go competitive with the sole intention of learning and gaining experience. The dedication and hard work are paying off as she is now a proud player to reach quarterfinals. Her idols in the Indian esports circuit are known by the nicknames Scout and Mortal.
NODWIN has been associating with women gamers since its inception in 2015. While initially, we just had a handful of women enthusiasts, now we see huge curiosity about professional e-gaming from women across ages, geographic locations, and socio-economic conditions. Women are increasingly becoming attracted to virtual sports, driven either by their passion or the lure of lucrative prize money.
