iQOO Appoints 25-Year-Old as Chief Gaming Officer
A chess prodigy in his early years, Vedang discovered gaming at age 10 and soon found himself captivated by esports.
iQOO, the high-performance smartphone brand, has appointed Vedang Vikas Chavan, a 25-year-old eSports coach and gamer from Mumbai, as iQOO’s new Chief Gaming Officer, emerging victorious in a three-month-long search that drew over 80,000 participants from 400+ Indian cities and towns.
Vedang has been tested on his gameplay skills, gaming knowledge, personality, and communication, along with the other participants. As part of this role, he will take home a remuneration of INR 10 Lakh.
A chess prodigy in his early years, Vedang discovered gaming at age 10 and soon found himself captivated by esports. From sneaking into gaming cafés during college to representing India at international PUBG PC tournaments in Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Australia, his hustle never stopped.
When he transitioned to coaching, he set out to give aspiring gamers a real shot at experiencing competitive esports. He handpicked grassroots talent and built teams from scratch, coaching them to podium finishes at top esports events. From being told he wasn’t good enough to become a sought-after leader, Vedang carved his space in a tough industry and helped others rise alongside him.
Expressing his excitement, Vedang said, “When I first came across this opportunity on LinkedIn, I saw it as the perfect way to challenge myself, a chance to grow, upgrade my skills, and do something meaningful in the esports space. And the fact that it was coming from a brand like iQOO made it even more exciting."
“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 gaming initiatives,” Nipun Marya, CEO, iQOO, said.
From competing against 80,000+ passionate gamers to impressing a power-packed jury panel featuring Nipun Marya, Rannvijay Singha, Payal Gaming (Payal Dhare), and 8bit Thug (Animesh Agarwal), Vedang has emerged as the winner of CGO 2.0.
As CGO, Vedang will work closely with iQOO’s leadership, offering insights to enhance the smartphone gaming experience and connect with the esports ecosystem. The position will also give him the opportunity to collaborate with top gamers across India and earn a prize of INR 10 Lakhs.
