Gurashish Singh and Prateek Bhaunt, representing S8UL Esports, have qualified to compete for India at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, scheduled for September 2026. Singh secured his position in the Tekken 8 event, while Bhaunt qualified in Street Fighter 6, following their respective victories at the National Esports Championships 2026 (NESC 2026).
India’s Representation in Fighting Game Esports
The qualifications underscore India’s expanding presence in competitive fighting games on the international circuit. Both athletes earned their berths by triumphing at NESC 2026, which served as the official selection tournament for India’s esports contingent.
Gurashish Singh, also known as “Soul,” has prior experience representing India, having competed at the BRICS Esports Tournament in 2025. His win in Tekken 8 at NESC 2026 confirms his participation in another international event. Prateek Bhaunt, or “B Haunt,” achieved top honors in Street Fighter 6.
Both players are participants in the S8UL Gauntlet (https://s8ul.gg/), a talent development initiative launched by S8UL Esports. The program aims to identify and support emerging fighting game talent by providing professional coaching, funding for domestic and international tournament participation, travel support, and monthly stipends, integrating players into the organization’s professional structure. Animesh Agarwal, Co-founder and CEO of S8UL, stated that these qualifications are a direct result of the program’s efforts to enable talented players to compete at the highest level.
Esports at the Asian Games
The 20th Asian Games will take place from September 19 to October 4, 2026. Esports will feature as a full medal event, encompassing 11 titles. This inclusion follows its debut as a demonstration sport in 2018 and its elevation to full medal status in 2023. Tekken and Street Fighter, alongside King of Fighters, will be contested within the Competitive Martial Arts category, which will be treated as a single medal event.
Beyond the fighting game disciplines, S8UL Esports has also seen its League of Legends roster win NESC 2026, earning a spot in the regional qualifiers scheduled from June 12 to 14. This team includes Akshaj Shenoy, Aakash Shandilya, Sanindhya Malik, Mihir Ranjan, Ahmed Shahid, and Rahul Bisht. Notably, Shenoy, Shandilya, Malik, and Ranjan were part of India’s League of Legends contingent at the Hangzhou Asian Games, where the team achieved a fifth-place finish.
S8UL Esports is also actively involved in the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 campaign. The organization, which has been selected as a Club Partner by the Esports Foundation for the second consecutive year, has already qualified in Chess, Fortnite, and Honor of Kings for EWC 2026. It continues to compete in qualification pathways across additional titles, including Fatal Fury, Street Fighter 6, and Tekken 8. The EWC 2026 campaign is sponsored by Campa Energy.
