iQOO Appoints eSports Coach Vedang Chavan as Chief Gaming Officer After Nationwide Hunt
Emerging from 80,000+ participants, Vedang wins CGO 2.0 title, takes home ₹10 lakh and joins iQOO’s leadership to shape India’s gaming future
Mumbai, July 31: In a bold move to deepen its engagement with India’s growing gaming ecosystem, iQOO has appointed Vedang Vikas Chavan, a 25-year-old eSports coach from Navi Mumbai, as its new Chief Gaming Officer (CGO). Vedang triumphed over more than 80,000 contestants from over 400 cities and towns to clinch the coveted CGO 2.0 title and a prize of ₹10 lakh.
Vedang’s rise from grassroots gamer to national title-holder is a testament to his perseverance. A former chess prodigy who discovered gaming at 10, he has represented India in global PUBG PC tournaments and later transitioned to coaching underdog teams to podium finishes. His story, marked by self-belief and relentless hustle, impressed a power-packed jury that included iQOO CEO Nipun Marya, Payal Gaming (Payal Dhare), 8bit Thug (Animesh Agarwal), and Rannvijay Singha.
“This journey has been surreal,” said Vedang. “Being named iQOO’s CGO is not just a title—it’s an opportunity to elevate India’s gaming ecosystem and give back to the community that shaped me.”
As Chief Gaming Officer, Vedang will work closely with iQOO’s leadership team, offering insights to enhance smartphone gaming performance, strengthen ties with esports creators, and drive youth engagement.
Welcoming him, Nipun Marya, CEO of iQOO, said: “Vedang embodies the spirit of ‘I Quest On and On’. His journey from player to mentor mirrors iQOO’s values of performance and perseverance. We’re confident he’ll bring unmatched insight and passion to this role.”
In parallel, iQOO also announced Harshvardhan Singh as its official esports caster. A rising voice in India’s casting scene, Harshvardhan brings versatile expertise in production, editing, and match analysis, having won Nodwin Gaming’s Talent Hunt thrice.
The CGO 2.0 initiative, following the success of CGO 1.0 in 2023, highlights iQOO’s commitment to recognizing gaming as a serious career path and building a high-performance smartphone ecosystem tailored to gamers.
With Vedang at the helm, iQOO continues to drive its vision of empowering India’s next generation of gaming leaders, the company said in a statement.
