New Delhi, Oct. 29 -- Till two decades back, India's competitive gaming industry had few sponsors, no established leagues and limited opportunities for professional players. Tournaments were sporadic, and participants often had to finance their own travel and accommodation. For many aspiring gamers, a lack of money made sustaining a career difficult.

Santanu Basu experienced these challenges firsthand when he travelled to Mumbai that year to compete in the World Cyber Games India qualifiers. With barely enough money to cover his journey, he travelled part of the way in a train's toilet compartment and slept on the streets because he could not afford a hotel room.

Despite the hardships, Basu finished third in the competition. The result ...