New Delhi, 17th December 2024: The Skillhub Online Games Federation (SOGF) has onboarded EaseMyTrip and Manipal Hospital as Travel Partner and Health Partner for the inaugural SOGF Grandmasters South Zone Finals respectively as the event is scheduled to take place on December 18-19 at Sheraton Grand, Whitefield, Bengaluru.
EaseMyTrip, one of India's largest online travel tech platforms, will facilitate seamless travel arrangements for over 200 players and support staff participating in the South 1 Zonal Finals in Bengaluru. Manipal Hospital, renowned for its excellence in healthcare, will provide wellness support to participants, highlighting the critical role of health in competitive skill gaming.
On the partnership, Mr Shankar Aggarwal, President, SOGF, said, “We are thrilled to welcome EaseMyTrip and Manipal Hospital as our official partners for travel and health in the inaugural Grandmasters Series South Zonals Finals. At SOGF, we want to create a seamless, rewarding, and equitable experience for all participants. With the support of our new partners, we aim to adopt a comprehensive approach to player health and wellness and are confident in our ability to deliver an event of exceptional quality.”
The inaugural SOG Grandmasters Series registrations indicated significant interest across all categories. Over 55,000 players signed up for free online pre-qualifiers of Indian Rummy Grandmasters (IRG) and Indian Chess Masters (ICM), highlighting their increasing popularity as cognitive skill-based mind sports. The top 125 from the total registered players, who played the Online Qualifiers for IRG and ICM will travel to Bangalore for the Zonal finals. In addition, the Chess for the Blind event, organized by the All-India Chess Federation for the Blind (AICFB) served as pre-qualifiers to the Indian Chess Masters for the Blind (ICMB), from which 16 top players have been shortlisted for the South Zonal Finals.
Mr. Nishant Pitti, CEO & Co-Founder, EaseMyTrip, said, "We're thrilled to be SOGF's official travel partner. At EaseMyTrip, our mission is to make travel simple, practical, and affordable for all. Through this partnership, we aim to support the growth of competitive video gaming in India while providing SOGF's participants, officials, and supporters with seamless travel experiences."
Mr. Karthik Rajagopal, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Manipal Hospitals noted, "We are proud to be the official health partner of the Skillhub Online Games Federation (SOGF). At Manipal Hospitals, we aim to deliver holistic care for both physical and mental health, while focusing on building a healthier community. Supporting the SOGF, we contribute to the growth of a thriving mind sports hub in India while ensuring the health and well-being of the players, officials, and participants. We wish everyone who is participating to perform at their best and enjoy a long and successful career in mind sports."
The South 1 Zonal Finals will be a LAN event with "phygital" experience, blending physical and digital formats under one roof. The Bengaluru event will be followed by Zonal finals in other zones, with the finalists–two from chess for Men, two from Chess for Women, two from Chess for the Blind, and six from Online Rummy in each zone – competing in the Nationals in April 2025 in New Delhi.
About SOGF
The Skillhub Online Games Federation (SOGF) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting and developing esports and skilled online gaming in India. With a focus on building a vibrant esports ecosystem, SOGF works to nurture talent and create opportunities for players and fans alike. Through key partnerships, such as the collaboration with International Esports Federation (IESF), International Mind Sports Association (IMSA) and Global Esports Federation (GEF) to bring an international tournament to India, SOGF is positioning the country as a key player in the global esports and skilled online gaming arena.
About EaseMyTrip
EaseMyTrip (a publicly listed company at NSE and BSE) is India’s one of largest online travel platform in terms of air ticket bookings, based on the Crisil Report-Assessment of the OTA Industry in India, February 2021. Furthermore, growing at a CAGR of 47% during FY20-24 in profits before tax, it is one of the fastest-growing internet companies. Bootstrapped and profitable since its inception, EaseMyTrip offers 'End to End' travel solutions including air tickets, hotels and holiday packages, rail & bus tickets as well as ancillary value-added services.
