Indian Counter-Strike's neglected warriors

In the dimly lit room of her childhood, amidst the glow of a flickering screen, a young girl's passion for gaming was ignited. Undeterred by the daunting shadows cast by those who dismissed gaming as a trivial pursuit, she resolved to shatter every restraint that bound her, venturing forth into the 'heavily constricted' esports with a determination so firm, it would melt even Iron.

This isn't the stuff of fiction, it's the context of how women in India have risen above and beyond to carve their name within the competitive realm of Counter-Strike. These are the tales of the elites in India and how they have defied expectations, shattered stereotypes, and forged a path leading to vision.

Breaking Free of the Grappling Shackles

The journey of a female online warrior in Counter-Strike in India has long been fraught with toxicity, skepticism, and sexist remarks. In a landscape where people seldom consider the impact of their words, such negativity can cut deep. Yet, in this rambunctious environment, Shagufta "Xyaa" Iqbal's journey in Counter-Strike embodies of what lies beyond. What happens when a woman overcomes those hurdles to focus on honing her skills? Setting foot early into Counter-Strike with 1.6, her story has been nothing short of captivating.

Fueled by frequenting cafes, and driven by local tournaments, A local girl from Bhubaneshwar started her competitive journey. However, the road was far from smooth. As the sole female presence in these cafes, she always gathered the side eyes. Online, the challenges only intensified, with a barrage of trash talk, trolling, and disrespect directed her way simply because of her gender. Even her stellar performance failed to silence the detractors, leaving her on the receiving end of derogatory treatment.

Yet, she persisted, and as time went on, the side eyes stopped and turned into gazes of acceptance. As time went on, she made more female friends in the scene. The realization soon dawned on her that it wasn't a male-dominated space anymore. As the number of Female gamers grew more, it made her happier. Stepping away from her role as a Software Developer at Capgemini after two years to pursue her passion wouldn't have been possible if not buoyed by unwavering support from her parents. And, as fate would have it, luck favored the bold when she was approached to participate in WEC.

A young girl's dream of hoisting the tricolor

Dilraj "COCO" Kaur's journey in Counter-Strike began by watching her brother play casually. Intrigued, she set off playing casually as early as 2014. As she spent more time with the game, she found herself naturally drawn to it. With each passing day, her passion for CS grew stronger, and a new aspiration set stone in her heart, the dream to represent India.

Setting out on the path of this new vision that found home in her dreamy eyes, COCO gathered a team for Legion of Valkyries 2019 comprising Meow16K, Rose, CaspeR, MatkA QueeN, and qualified for the event through the Indian Qualifiers. They played under the banner of Global Esports and made it to the Grand Finals after defeating the Australian team Mako Female. Though they fell short of first place, losing to ILLUMINATE Esports, COCO's dream was perceivably within grasp.

It was in this uncertain period that she crossed paths with Sway, just before a TEC tournament where they were in need of a sixth player. Fate smiled upon her as one of the players from the active player became unfit to play, and COCO was called up to the main roster. Turning lemons into lemonades, COCO impressed everyone with an MVP performance, earning her a permanent place on the team alongside Sway, Stormyy, Xyaa, and CrackShot.

Blood, Sweat, and Tears

The genesis of this female super team started with Sway, the architect, who had brought together the team's formation, including a familiar face from Valorant, Aastha "CrackShot" Nangia. While that had marked a new chapter in CrackShot's life, it had been a long time in the making. The young girl's fate had long been sealed, from the moment she pleaded with her father for a Gameboy, as she took steps inadvertently into the world of Esports.

It was on Twitch, where she first began to stream, that she discovered a community of like-minded individuals, including other female gamers who shared her passion. Her competitive spirit truly ignited during intense PUBG PC scrims with her team, which later brought her to VALORANT, and then finally into the hallowed halls of Counter-Strike.

Despite initially approaching Counter-Strike with a casual mindset, CrackShot never treated the game lightly, tackling each challenge with utmost sobriety. As the team geared up for the WEC, CrackShot's commitment surpassed that of her teammates. Despite juggling a demanding full-time job and contending with the GMT+8 time zone in Hong Kong, where practice sessions began at 10:30 PM IST and extended until 03:00 AM, she remained undeterred. Even during a vacation to Goa, she went to great lengths, renting a PC to ensure her presence at strat sessions on Discord.

Not all sweat bears fruit

Team India headed into the IESF Female World Esports Championship 2023, after defeating Sri Lanka 16-3, and 16-0 in the South Asia Qualifiers. On the back of the depleting practice sessions, the team was all set to leave their marks. However, while practice can enhance skills, experience cannot be gained solely through preparation. Although defeating Saudi Arabia secured them a playoff spot, subsequent matches did not unfold as planned. In the semi-final, they faced Australia, resulting in their unfortunate tournament exit.

Playing on such a big stage, the jitters and the fright was palpable. CrackShot is of the opinion that the players couldn't replicate their practiced performance, otherwise, the outcomes could have been different against Kazakhstan and Hong Kong. Nonetheless, they didn't return without gains. Not only did they bring with them a wealth of experience, but they also heralded a new milestone for the ladies, one they aim to surpass in the forthcoming iteration. As they prepare for the IESF Female World Esports Championship 2024, CrackShot, COCO, and Sway have brought together a new team with two new faces, Rose and Pixie. Competing under the Couldn't Care Less (CCL) moniker, the team has already made it to the South Asian qualifiers.

Torchbearers of Tomorrow

The story of the Indian Counter-Strike amazons doesn't rest with the WEC. As Counter-Strike in India experiences a revival, many young female talents are emerging within the scene. Two such names are Mrinal "Jollies" Baranwal and Tanvi "ElicaFTW" Sarvani.

Despite an English Honors degree from DU, Jollies always harbored a fervour for esports. In the quiet moments of her childhood, amidst the chatter of schoolmates and the rustle of textbooks, there existed a world she could escape to - Counter-Strike Condition Zero. By the time she reached Class 11 and the transition to a laptop became necessary for her coding endeavors, Counter-Strike faded into the background, replaced by other FPS titles. However, the launch of CS2 brought her a myriad of new opportunities and a chance for a fresh start in a familiar landscape.

The excitement is one of the main reasons I'll keep being a part of esports. And given the huge disparity in the gender ratio, this gives me a bigger motivation to be a part of it, to encourage more girls to it. I'm passionate about esports and since the competitive side is not that active in India per se, I chose to work for a tournament organiser to still be a part of it, just from the other side of competing. Who knows if the scene flourishes even more for us, I might return to being an active player again!
Jollies, who currently is with Skyesports India as a Project Coordinator

ElicaFTW's gaming journey began when she was 10-11 years old, but it wasn't until she visited Gamer Connect in Hyderabad in 2017 that her passion for Counter-Strike took off. Winning a poster for most kills marked her entrance into the gaming world. Despite playing on a 30fps laptop for two years, her love for CS never waned. As fate would have it, a scholarship after 10th grade allowed her to invest in a gaming PC, as gaming started gathering steam in her life. Soon, inspired by streamers like Xyaa, Marzil, and MambaSR, she ventured into streaming herself. Casting her first game was a revelation, leading her to pursue it further. At 19, she has 5 years of casting under her belt and has worked with organisations like True Rippers, Enigma Gaming and Reckoning Esports as Content Creator.

While there are hundreds and hundreds of girls in India with the same dreams that xyaa, Sway, COCO, Jollies, CrackShot etc have, there isn't a single organisation who has invested in a female Counter-Strike team nor do we have any proper dedicated tournaments for the girls in India.