KRAFTON India Esports has announced the onboarding of Cohort 2 for its Rising Stars Programme 2026, adding nine new creators to its growing talent development pipeline. The initiative focuses on nurturing emerging esports creators with structured support and competitive opportunities.
Strong response from creators across India
The programme received over 2,500 registrations from creators nationwide, showing high interest in structured esports growth opportunities. With this new cohort, KRAFTON continues to build a strong base for future esports talent in India.
New creators join the programme
The nine creators selected for Cohort 2 include Chirag Dua (ESWanted), Tanmay Sipahiya (K9xKnighT), Rohit Saxena (NebulaKRATOS), Jatin Kumar (4TRxJatinOG), Aarush Sharma (InfinixTRHydrO), Jasleen Kaur (LExJasleen), Sohail Shaikh (Hector), Akshay Kumar (WELTwJusty06), and Mohit Kumavat (iQOORGExLevi11).
What the programme offers
The Rising Stars Programme follows a structured model that helps creators grow step by step. Participants will get:
- In-game resources like room cards
- Guidance to improve gameplay and content
- Regular tournament exposure
- A chance to move into the Elite Rising Stars tier based on performance
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“As the ecosystem grows, creators need more than moments of visibility – they need consistent opportunities to compete, improve, and stay relevant. With Rising Stars 2026, we have built a system that combines structured support with regular competitive exposure. Cohort 2 is an important part of that pipeline, allowing more creators to enter the system and earn their way forward through performance.” — Karan Pathak, Associate Director – Esports, KRAFTON India
Launched in 2025, the programme has already shown strong results. Participants created over 1,260 content pieces and 648 live streams, while gaining more than 218,000 followers combined. Some players from the first batch even reached the Quarterfinals of BGIS 2026.
With Cohort 2, the total number of Rising Stars now reaches 16, showing KRAFTON’s continued investment in grassroots esports development.
This programme is a big step towards building a strong esports ecosystem in India. It gives new creators a clear path to grow, compete, and succeed in the industry.
