iQOO Awards Rs 10 Lakh Cash Prize To New Chief Gaming Officer
The competition saw participation by over 80,000 participants from over 400 cities and towns.
Smartphone maker iQOO has named Vedang Vikas Chavan, a 25-year-old gamer from Mumbai, as its Chief Gaming Officer. Chavan has won a reward of Rs 10 lakh after his selection.
He was selected after winning a competition called CGO 2.0. It saw participation from 80,000 gamers from over 400 cities and towns. According to a press release by iQOO, Chavan was examined for his gameplay skills, gaming knowledge, personality and communication.
The jury panel comprised Nipun Marya, Rannvijay Singha, Payal Gaming (Payal Dhare) and 8bit Thug (Animesh Agarwal).
Reacting to his victory, Chavan said, “This journey has been surreal, and I’m thankful to iQOO, the jury, and everyone who believed in me. I’m excited to now take this passion forward with iQOO and give back to the community that shaped me.”
According to the official release, Chavan was a "chess prodigy" who discovered gaming at the age of 10 and quickly developed a deep passion for e-sports. He represented India in international PUBG PC tournaments across Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Australia.
Transitioning into coaching, he aimed to offer aspiring gamers a genuine chance to compete at the highest level. Chavan carefully selected grassroots talent and built teams from the ground up, guiding them to podium finishes at prominent e-sports championships.
In his role as CGO, Chavan will collaborate closely with the leadership team at iQOO, providing valuable insights to improve the smartphone gaming experience and strengthen ties with the esports community.
Reacting to his appointment, Nipun Marya, CEO, iQOO, said, “His journey from grassroots gaming to leading top teams reflects the passion and perseverance we value at iQOO. With his experience as a player, coach, and mentor, we believe he will bring a sharper understanding of the gaming community and a fresh perspective to our esports initiatives.”
CGO 1.0 was launched in 2023, where Shwetank Pandey emerged as the winner.
iQOO has named Harshvardhan Singh as its official caster. Singh started casting just two years ago and rapidly established himself by clinching the Nodwin Gaming Talent Hunt title three times, including at BGIS 2024.
