From a Mumbai pavement to India’s esports league table : Santanu Basu's journey

In 2007, Indian esports was still finding its feet. There were no leagues, sponsors were rare and paid players were rarer. Players covered their own travel to tournaments, and many gave up when they could no longer afford it.

That year, a young football gamer reached Mumbai for a national qualifier with very little money. Part of his train journey was spent in a toilet compartment. With no budget for a room, he spent his nights on the city’s streets. When the tournament ended, he had finished third.

The player was Santanu Basu, and the tournament was the World Cyber Games India qualifiers. His finish earned him a job and a sponsorship from a gaming company, a rare break for an Indian gamer at the time. It was the start of a career now close to two decades long.


Over the next decade, Basu built one of the longer competitive careers in Indian football gaming. He represented India in FIFA gaming tournaments abroad, with third-place finishes in China, France and Malaysia. He signed with US-based esports organisation Tempo Storm as its only Indian player, and stayed for seven years. AMD named him its first gaming brand ambassador in India, and Sony PlayStation made a documentary on his life.

Alongside competing, he started building for others. Basu has organised or taken part in more than 500 college events, from Mizoram to Chennai. In 2013, he launched the Asian Football Gaming Championship (AFGC), which has since sent more than 27 Indian players to compete abroad. In 2018, he founded LetsGameNow (LGN). The company started with football gaming events, then expanded to other titles and began developing its own mini-games.

The move from player to organiser changed the job. Instead of preparing for his own matches, Basu was building teams, running events and finding partners. His years as a competitor gave him a clear brief that players need access, exposure, regular competition and a credible route to international events.

His latest project is the most ambitious. The Indian Super Gaming League (ISGL) was launched in 2026 as a franchise-based national esports league¹. Six teams compete across five titles: FC 26, Cricket 26, Call of Duty: Mobile, chess and table tennis. Teams include Indian Super League clubs Mumbai City FC, Kerala Blasters FC, InterKashi ( Varanasi ), Chennaiyin FC and FC Goa, and Pro Kabaddi side Puneri Paltan. The league runs city qualifiers to find new players, and has drawn investment from Anand Mahindra's family office.

The early results are encouraging. Saransh, who played for Mumbai City FC in ISGL's first season, went on to represent India at the Esports World Cup in Paris.

We spoke to Basu about what the league offers young players, and where he wants it to go.

ISGL runs on permanent teams and full seasons, not one-off events. How does that help a young player?

It gives them consistency and a real scope for long-term career development. Players get to build teams and work as teams. Regular competitive matches mean regular practice, so skills keep improving. Most of all, it creates a structured ecosystem. Players can develop professional skills and build a reputation, which is what a sustainable career in competitive gaming needs.

Saransh went from ISGL to the Esports World Cup in Paris. Is that a route other players can take?

Saransh's journey shows the opportunity the league creates for Indian talent: visibility and access to bigger competitive platforms. Every player will have a different journey. But the league aims to create international opportunities for all its players. ISGL intends to build an ecosystem that identifies talent, nurtures it, and gives it exposure to compete at the highest level.

LetsGameNow has launched Bharat Run. What is the game about, and what else is LGN building?

With Bharat Run, we want to create an educational and engaging experience that is deeply rooted in Indian identity and culture. More broadly, LGN is building a gaming and digital ecosystem that connects entertainment, technology, commerce, and community. Our e-commerce platform will help gaming communities discover and access relevant products. Beyond tournaments, we want to develop original gaming experiences and create opportunities for talent. We see gaming as a platform for entertainment, innovation, learning and economic opportunity.

What is the bigger vision for ISGL?

To build a world-class esports ecosystem in India. One that nurtures talent, creates global opportunities, and gives competitive gaming the professional recognition and sustainability of traditional sports.

Where do you see the league in three years?

As one of India's leading esports and gaming properties, recognised for its professional standards, its ability to develop talent, and its business model. We want a strong, loyal fan base and sustainable careers for players, coaches and other esports professionals. Above all, we want ISGL to be recognised as a pathway for Indian talent to reach international stages.

For a player who once had to find his own way to a tournament, the aim now is to make that route easier for the next generation.

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