S8UL Signs Indian Grandmasters For Esports World Cup 2025

S8UL, a prominent name in esports, has signed Indian Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram for the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025. This marks a significant step as chess debuts at EWC with a prize pool of $1.5 million (approximately INR 12.9 crore). The event will feature a rapid 10+0 time control format, with each player having 10 minutes per game.

Grandmaster Aravindh Chithambaram, from Thirunagar in Madurai, began playing chess at seven under his grandfather's guidance. By age 12, he won the Indian Under 19 Championship. In 2013, he gained attention by winning the Chennai Grandmaster International Open and later became an International Master in 2014 and a Grandmaster in 2015.

S8UL Signs Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram

Aravindh's achievements include winning the National Premier Chess Championship twice, in 2018 and 2019. His victory in 2019 was historic as he became the first Indian to win the Indian Open in classical, rapid, and blitz formats. Recently, he won the Prague Chess Festival Masters and is ranked fourth in India and eleventh globally with a FIDE rating of 2749.

"This moment is special not just for me personally, but for Indian chess as a whole. Being part of S8UL’s lineup for the Esports World Cup reflects how far the game has come and how it continues to evolve. The fact that a mainstream esports organisation is investing in chess players shows the growing recognition of chess as both a competitive and spectator sport in the digital space. It feels great to be part of this new wave, and I hope to make my country proud on the global stage," stated Aravindh Chithambaram.

Nihal Sarin, another key addition to S8UL's roster, hails from Thrissur, Kerala. He started playing chess at six and gained prominence by winning the World Youth Chess Championship Under-10 category in Durban. His international performances include being runner-up at the Chess.com Global Championship in 2022.

Nihal recently won the President’s Cup 2024 and had an unbeaten run at the Tashkent Open with eight out of ten points. He is currently ranked eighth in India and fortieth worldwide with a FIDE rating of 2687.

"Being part of the Esports World Cup is a new and exciting experience for me. Chess has traditionally lived in a very classical space, but the way it is now being embraced as part of the esports world opens up a whole new dimension for players and audiences alike. Representing India and S8UL on this global stage is an honour, and I look forward to this opportunity of taking the game I love to a much broader audience and inspire more young minds to pick it up," shared Nihal Sarin.

S8UL stands out as India's sole organisation selected for EWC Foundation’s Club Partner Program. It has also won 'Content Group of the Year' three times consecutively at Esports Awards. By signing these grandmasters, S8UL continues its expansion into diverse esports titles while maintaining its creative edge.

S8UL's Expanding Esports Presence

Animesh Agarwal aka 8Bit Thug, Co-founder and CEO of S8UL commented, "We are incredibly proud to be the first Indian team to step into the global esports chess arena. Nihal and Aravindh are not just two of India’s best but among the top minds in the world. Their addition reflects our commitment to representing India in every genre of competitive gaming, and our belief that esports is about excellence, whether it’s aim or intellect. This is a historic moment for both S8UL and Indian chess."

Besides chess, S8UL will compete in Apex Legends, EAFC 25, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Tekken 8 at EWC 2025. The Apex Legends roster includes Sharky, Jesko, Legacy with coach Rogers; other rosters will be announced soon.

S8UL aims to establish India as a consistent presence internationally across various esports titles while preparing for multiple globally recognised competitions.