Interview with the Legend of Esports and Gaming – Ankit ‘V3nom’ Panth!

Our recent interview with the Legend of Esports and Gaming – Ankit Panth, also known as V3nom, has given us some exciting insights into the games and the culture that the gamers tend to have. We have also acquired some exciting information on the future of Esports in the country and the conduct that the future gamers must follow. This transcription is an excellent way to reflect on the ideas of tomorrow and the best ways to plan your career in Esports. 

Rahul: Aaj hum jinka interview lene wale hain na, unke liye main bohot excited hun kyunki woh mere favourite, mere kya, hum sabhi ke favourite hain. Woh lakhon gamers ki inspiration hain, gaming industry ke badshah hain, ladkiyon ki chaheete hain and hum sab ke favourite hain. One and only – Ankit ‘Venom’ Pant. Ankit bohot bohot swagat hai apka hamare studio mein.

Ankit: Thank you so much. Itna pyara introduction dene ke liye

Rahul: Ankit, sabse pehle shuruat karte hain shuruat se. Ankit ko kab laga ki use gamer banna hai?

Ankit: Yeh shuru hua tha I think jabhi main 14-15 saal ka tha. Ek din main school se araha tha. Mere area mein ek naya gaming cafe khula tha. Mujhe pata nahi tha ki woh ek gaming cafe hai. Black tinted glasses the, gaming characters the shop ke door pe toh thoda bachcha tha toh intrigue hogaya ki kya ho raha hai andar. Fir jab main andar gaya tab mujhe samajh mein aya ki yeh toh ek naya world hi hai. Log chilla rahe hain, khel rahe hain, enjoy kar rahe hain. Woh atmosphere mujhe kafi acha laga. Aur fir main jab wahan PC pe baithe tab wahan se meri shuruat hogayi thi. Jo mujhe pata nahi tha, lekin hogayi thi

Rahul: Dekho, jaise hamare Indian parents hote hain, sabko lagta hai ki hamara jo beta hai,  bachcha hai woh doctor bane, engineer bane, teacher bane. Toh ek time sab ke samne aata hai ki jab apne gaming industry aur gaming khelna start kiya toh apko laga hoga ki ab apko gamer banna hai. Toh aapne apne parents ko kaise convince kiya ki apko gamer banna hai  aur and unka kya reaction that uss time pe?

Ankit: Starting mein toh kisi ko bharosa nahi hua because industry utni badi nahi thi uss time pe. Aur jab maine shuru kiya tha toh gaming ko lekar kafi misconceptions the. Abhi bhi hain. Ek time tha jab main cafe mein khel raha tha raat ko aur you know mere parents agaye aur unko samajh mein aya ki yeh kya kar raha hai computer pe and yeh toh poker khel raha hai. Yeh toh jua hai. Bahar nikla. Mere ko danta. Ghar pe bhi bohot danta. Fir woh cafe owner ko bhi bola ki aap mere bachche ko aane mat dena andar. Toh maine uss time pe aise gusse se react nahi kiya unko. Ki nahi apko samajh mein nahi araha, ye normally bhi log karte hain. 

Maine woh questions note kar liye, aur fir 10-15 din, ek mahine bad, main fir se gaya unke pass aur maine bola ki agar main yeh sab cheezen na kar ke apko prove kar dun ki mujhe sirf khelna hai. Because mujhe aisa lagta hai ki iss cheez mein main aage acha ban sakta hun aur India ko represent karunga tournament mein. Toh unhone bola ki nahi aisa kuch nahi hota hai. Kar ke dikhao. Fir dheere dheere main khelta raha tournaments mein. 

Immature level ke khele. Bohot hare hum log but humko kabhi mouse pad mil jata tha gift mein. Agar 3rd agaye 2nd agaye toh kabhi keyboard mil jata tha toh kabhi headphone mil jata tha. Toh yeh sab cheezen main collect karne lag gaya. Kabhi 100 rupees kabhi 200 rupees milte gaye, main woh collect karne lag gaya. Toh usse kya hua ki maine ghar pe dikhana shuru kiya. Ki dekho jo main khel raha hun, usse mujhe prizes mil rahe hain. Unhe yeh bhi vishwas nahi ho raha tha ki prizes mujhe mil rahe hain. Unhe laga main chori kar raha hun kisi ka. 

Ek bar mujhe toh tournament organisers se baat karvani padi. Tab jakar unko realise hua ki yeh khelta hai aur isse agar yeh jeet ta hai ya 2nd 3rd aata hai toh ise prizes milte hain. To woh ek concept unka clear hua. 

Uske baad badi problem yeh thi ki main har bar jakar uss cafe mein khel nahi sakta tha because main ek middle class family se aata hun toh har bar 20-20 rupees aap doge toh woh hum afford nahi kar sakte the. Toh mujhe samajh mein aya yar ki ghar pe PC banana padega. Uske liye bhi mere ko I think saal do saal lag gaye. Maine thode paise collect kiye. Fir ultimately maine birthday pe, ghar walon ko bola ki aap thode 10-15, apse jitne bhi ho sakte hain aap de do. Maine 5000 collect kar liye hain. Aap PC dila paoge kya. Mere school mein bhi help hojayega and mera jo yeh passion hai, yeh bhi main follow kar lunga. Tabhi unko thoda aisa laga ki yar itne salon mein about 5000 isne jama bhi kar liye?

Maine keyboard, mouse, jo bhi mujhe milta tha use bech ke, prize money jo milta tha woh sambhal ke, woh sab kar ke maine collect kiye the thode bohot paise. Fir jab mera first PC mila, uske baad maine khelna shuru kiya. Main ek immature se semi pro level pe pohonch gaya, semi pro se bhi thoda pro aane lag gaya. Kafi known hogaya tha. 2008 mein I think humne India ki number 1 team ko haraya tha. CS 1.6 Kit tournament mein. 

Tab logon ko maloom padne lag gaya kafi. Fir ek do interview agaye, ek do article agaye and uss time pe hume 1 lakh rupees mile the, matlab 20,000 cash jo humne 5 mein divide kiya tha. Tab jo woh jab maine ghar mein bataya ki dekho mujhe itne paise mile hain aur yeh main apko dena chahta hun. Tab tab unhe thoda bohot aisa realise hua ki kuch toh hai yeh. Lekin abhi bhi woh convince nahi the. 

Fir jab brands aaye toh 7 figure paise bhi aane lag gaye. Tab unhone aaj jakar thoda realise hogaya hai and samajh mein aane lag gaya hai ki yar han koi galat cheez nahi hai yeh. Yeh tournaments khelta hai, compete karta hai, national level and international level. Aur isko bohot sare multinational brands ne sponsor kiya hua hai. Toh yeh koi galat field nahi hai. Aur aap yeh jo misconceptions ki baat kar rahe ho, yeh sirf mere ghar mein nahi hote.. Har ghar mein hote hain. Mujhe toh itne saal hogaye hain, 15-20 years and main koshish kar ke yahan tak pohonch gaya hun.

Rahul: Kabhi ek aisa moment aya hai ki apko laga nahi yar, ghar walon ka support agaya, sari cheezen hogayi but ab mujhse nahi ho pa raha hai yeh

Ankit: Woh, touchwood, kabhi hua nahi hai mere sath ya meri life mein. Because yeh cheez jab maine start ki thi na toh mere ko bohot pyar tha iss cheez se, yani gaming se toh jab maine start kiya, maine as an athlete start kiya tha. Compete karna hai, India ko represent karna hai but fir dheere dheere fans ka pyar aur yeh sab jo cheezen aane lag gayin toh mujhe ek inspirational segment mein logon ne daal diya ki yar yeh admi kuch alag kar raha hai, yeh admi change kar sakta hai. Kyunki main gali wali nahi deta, cigarette vigerette ka lafda nahi kar raha. 

Toh logon ka jo gamer image tha, har cafe ke bahar unko wahi image dikhti thi, toh maine woh image change kardi. Ab maine woh effort liya because mere ko apne parents ko bhi prove karna tha yar 10-12 ghante main khelunga toh zaroori nahi ki mujhe chashme ajayenge. Mere ko aaj tak chashme nahi hain. Mere ko back pain ajayega. Main gym jata hun, main fit hun, mere ko koi back pain nahi hai. Meri eyesight proper hai, bas main khelta hun. But yeh matlab nahi hai ki main 24 ghante, 36 ghante sirf khelta hun. Main rest leta hun, mujhe life ko balance karna aata hai, main doston ke sath bhi jata hun, workouts bhi karta hun, main apni practice bhi karta hun. Toh woh jab fans ne yeh sab dekha and toh fir unke parents meetups pe aane lag gaye. Tab mujhe samajh mein aaya ki nahi yar, yeh jo maine start kiya tha, yeh sirf problems mujhe hi nahi thi. 

Kafi logon ko aur bhi problems thi. Woh direction mein jakar na, main khelte khelte woh sab misconception bhi clear karne lag gaya. Toh kabhi jhukaw ka baat hi nahi aya, ki main thoda demotivate ho jaun ya kuch. Mujhe isme maza aata hai, plus logon ka itna pyar milne lag gaya hai aur meri earnings se main apni family chala raha hun. Aur kya chahiye mujhe. Sab khush hain

Rahul: yeh toh hai ki aap ek trend setter ban gaye hain. Maine apka ek video, apke fans ka video dekha tha jo ki apse mila tha, usne bataya tha ki maine apne dadaji ko apka video dikhaya hai ki main inke jaise banna chahta hoon toh unhone mujhe permission dedi ki haan chal theek hai, tu yeh kaam karle. Woh dekho hoga apne video

Ankit: I think woh Chhattisgarh se aaye the woh fan milne ke liye and us time pe unhe allow nahi karte the because tier 2 and tier 3 cities mein bohot difficult hai kisi ko convince karna. Ab toh fir bhi dheere dheere ho raha hai. Toh uss time par akar unhone yeh cheez boli thi. Ab bhi kafi meetups pe aisa hota hai ki fans aate hain, gale laga kar rone lag jate hain. And unke parents bhi aate hain. Pehle mujhe darr lagta tha ki yar parents ko lekar aarahe hain matlab confirm mujhe daant padne wali hai ki apne mere bete ko bigad diya. 

Yeh kaise ho raha hai, apni meri beti ko bigad diya. Ya apne galat field choose karli. But aaj kal woh aate hain, aashirwad dete hain and bolte hain hamara beta, hamari beti apki fan hain, apko follow karti hai religiously.  Aur aap sahi tareeke se sikhate ho. Main hamesha unko reality batata hun ki aap balance kar ke chal sakte ho. Maine bhi balance kiya hai. Maine padhai nahi chhodi. Maine ghar pe koi jhagde nahi kiye. 

Aur ek sidha jo hisab hai ki jaise hum jab iss duniya mein aate hain toh hume parents hath pakad ke chalna sikhate hain and khana khilana sikhate hain. Main bhi unko yahi bolta hun, ki gaming har kisi ko nahi pata hogi, hamare parents ko nahi pata hogi. Toh aap hi unka hath pakad ke unko sikhao na ki yeh tournaments hote hain, hume yeh banna hai and mujhe aisa karna hai. Time lagega, but eventually I think woh samajh jayenge kyunki mere parents toh samajh gaye the.

Rahul: Venom naam bohot interesting sound karta hai. Iske piche ki kya story hai? Kaise apne yeh decide kiya ki Venom naam rakhna hai. Kya dimag mein aaya apko?

Ankit: Woh jaise maine apko bataya tha ki main cafe gaya tha toh wahan Diablo mein ek gaming character tha Venom Lord mera ek dost tha jisne mujhe CS sikhaya tha. Usne mujhe bola ki you know tera height hai, tu thoda aggressive bhi khelta hai game mein toh tu Venom Lord naam rakh le. Toh maine wahan se woh naam le liya tha. But jaise jaise main thoda bada hua toh mujhe samajh aya ki matlab Venom Lord mein Lord thoda zyada ho jayega. Toh Lord hata dena chahiye and Venom tak theek hai. Toh fir vaise maine apna naam Venom rakh liya. Toh ab log Venom bhi bulate hain and Venom bhaiya bhi bulate hain.

Rahul: Sir, main apka ek point of view janna chahunga. Aaj egaming jo industry hai woh ek alag hi level pe chali gayi hai. Log pyar de rahe hain, log as a career isko dekhna chahte hain toh apke point of view se as a career, aap egaming industry ko kaise dekhte ho.

Ankit: Main abhi bolunga ki egaming jab humne start ki thi kuch 15 saal pehle tab toh bilkul kuch nahi tha. Matlab ek tournament hua toh hua, aisa hota tha. But aaj ki date mein 4 -5 bad tournament organisers hain jon har do mahine mein ek tournament kar rahe hain. Toh abhi toh kafi badi hogayi hai but abhi yeh shuruat hai main bolunga. Hame abhi bhi stadiums tak pohonchna hai jahan pe jaise cricket dekhte ho aap. Stadiums mein fans hote hain na tab mujhe aisa lagega ki haan yar kuch achieve kar liya hai. Mera toh woh goal hai ki stadium mein tournament khelun main aur fans mujhe cheer karen jaise Sachin Sachin Sachin vaise Venom Venom Venom ya koi bhin dusra naam lekar cheer karen. Toh bhale hi as a player khelun main ya as a fan khelun, mere ko stadium mein rehna hai. Toh I think wahan ka target hai.

Rahul: Gaming Industry mein – jaise har business mein hota hai, jab aap koi business start karte ho toh kuch na kuch investment dalni padti hai. Uske baad hi toh apka business start hota hai. But gaming industry mein same cheez jaati hai ya fir gaming industry mein aisa kuch hai ki without investment aap usko start kar sakte ho?

Ankit: Yeh ek acha question pucha apne aur yeh main apne streams mein bhi logon ko bolta hun, ki apko lagta hoga you know ki PC mil gaya toh aap gamer ban jaoge but aisa nahi hai. Investment lagta hai, jaise ki aap agar cricket khel rahe ho toh toh apko bads aur ek acha bat lena padega, vaise hi esports mein agar apne professional gaming pursue karni hai, apko acha keyboard which is again expensive, acha mouse jo skip na kare – again expensive, mouse pad, monitor, CPU, processor, acha graphic card, acha memory accessory, SSD aisi cheezen apko lagani padengi. 

Aur yeh expensive hain. Aap samajhlo matlab ek acha PC aaj ki date mein aap lene jaoge toh apko nahi nahi bolke 1.25 se lekar 1.5 ya 2 lacs mein milega. Which, a middle class family cannot afford it. Mere time pe maine 25,000 ka PC banaya tha. Mere ware nyare hogaye the ki yar 25,000 se kam ka PC milne hi nahi wala yar mere ko. Aur aaj woh 25,000 kam hain. Pehle game alag tha, ab games heavy hogaye hain. Graphic badh gaye hain. Updates aati rehti hain, aur heavy hota rehta hai. To apko 2, 3 ya 4 saal mein usko update karna padta hai. Warna aap piche reh jaoge and baki log aage nikal jayenge. Toh it’s an expensive sport I would say. But agar aap manage karoge aur aapne apne targets set kar liye toh matlab ho sakta hai.

Rahul: Venom ek platform pe hai jisko log jante hain, har jagah pohonche huye hain aap toh ab aage ke kya plans hain?

Ankit: Aage ke plans yahin hain ki yeh platform main use karun logon ko samjhane ke liye kyunki logon ne aaj mujhe iss maukam pe pohoncha diya. Yeh life maine sochi nahi thi ki mujhe mil payegi. Main ek middle class family se belong karta hun. Mere dad 9 to 5, sales job kar rahe the. Mujhe laga main bhi wahi karne wala hun. Logon ko lagta hai yar iska beta yahi banne wala hai. But maine ek alag path choose kiya, uspe mehnat ki aur logon ne utna pyar diya ki aaj main ek alag level pe pohonch chuka hun. 

Toh woh level aur woh mukam mujhe mere fans ki wajah se mila hai. Aap jaise bade bade media houses ki wajah se mila hai. Toh main yeh sab platforms ko use kar ke logon ko samjhana bhi chahta hun ki yar gaming industry mein pros and cons bhi hain, apko life balance kar ke chalna padega, aap apne ghar walon se jhagda nahi kar sakte – jo log normally karte hain. Toh yeh sab jo misconceptions logon ko hain and ulti sidhi cheezen lagti hain ab yeh kar ke hojayega. 

Ghar pe blackmail karlo ya main exam nahi dunga ya main school nahi jaunga and aap mujhe yeh dilao woh dilao – yeh sab kar ke koi point nahi hai. But hota kya hai na, ki parents apko yeh sab bolenge toh aap nahi samjhoge because kitni baar parents mujhse akar bole ki hum bolte hain toh nahi samajhte, aap bolte kyunki aap unki wavelength se ja rahe ho.. Aap unse roz baat kar rahe ho toh apse woh connect ho rahe hain toh apki baat sun kar woh samajhne lage hain ki acha ab exams aarahe hain toh padhayi ko zyada time dena hai aur exams khatam hone ke bad chuttiyon mein full grind karna hai, full mehnat karna hai and fir target set karna hai. Toh yeh hai mera role. Logon ko inspire karna, samjhana kyunki main hamesha toh rahunga nahi. Ab main chaar se paanch saal aur khel lungi. But I want ki jo aane wali pidhi hai, jo aane wali generation hai woh atleast sahi tareeke se kare taki hum world class athletes bana payen.

Rahul: Mera apse yahi last question hai ki jo apke fans hain, jo apko follow karte hain, inke liye aap kya kehna chahoge?

Ankit: Main bas yahi kehna chahunga hath jod ke ki discipline rakhen life mein, parents pe bharosa rakhen aur gussa na karen. Patience ki bohot zyada zarurat hai aaj ki duniya mein aur especially esports mein, gaming mein. Yes. grow ho rahi hai, apko lagta hai ki Venom hai, itne sare brands hain, itne sare paise kama raha hai lekin Venom ko karte karte kafi 10-15 saal lag gaye. Aur bohot mehnat kari aur maine kabhi chhoda nahi. Ek time aya jab main tournaments hare ja raha tha but maine chhoda nahi. 

Ek time aya tha ki numbers kam the toh maine chhoda nahi. Ek time aisa tha ki sponsors kam the, maine chhoda nahi. Toh apko bhi vahi karna hai. Yeh iss cheez mein apko apne target bhi set rakhne hain kyunki aap yeh nahi kar sakte ki ghar walon ko bolo mujhe 5 saal dedo, main kuch kar ke dikha dunga. Nahi. Maine yeh kabhi nahi bola. Maine ek saal manga tha. Woh ek saal mein mujhe pata tha ki mujhe apni growth dikhani hai. Kyunki ghar wale toh, eventually they will get old. You have to take care of them. Mere ko apne ghar walon ka khayal rakhna hai. Apko apne ghar walon ka khayal rakhna hai. Toh apko paise lagenge ghar chalane ke liye. 

Toh apko zaroori nahi hai ki aap pro in mein ghusna chahte ho toh apne ghar walon se ek saal manga aur aap nahi kar pa rahe ho toh aap fir unse chaar saal mango. Apko samajhna padega ki gaming mein bohot sari fields hain. Aap entertainer streamer ban sakte ho, aap athlete ban sakte ho, aap manager ban sakte ho, aap coach ban sakte ho, aap social media marketing gaming teams ke liye handle kar sakte ho. 

Toh apko choose karna hai aur apne aap ko time dena hai ki main yeh try karta hun. Agar yeh nahi hua toh main yeh try karta hun but yeh nahi ki aap puri life multiple cheezen try karte raho. Kahin na kahin apko self realization bhi hona chahiye ki shayad yeh mere liye nahi hai. Toh main yahi samjhata hun logo ko, apne fans ko ki aap balance rakho and thande dimag se socha karo cheezon ko. Kyunki apko ultimately apne parents ka khayal rakhna hai when they get old. Bas. 

Rahul: Bohot bohot dhanyawad apka hamare studio mein aane ke liye, humse baat karne ke liye apna samay nikalne ke liye 

Ankit: Thank you so much.

We sincerely hope that everyone has enjoyed watching the interview and reading the transcription for the interview that we have recently posted by a Legendary Gamer – V3nom (Ankit Panth), Stay tuned for more interviews by Gamers and the Badshahs of the Gaming industry – Only at Sports Digest.

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