For 23-year-old Shwetank Pandey, it was a tryst with destiny as he was appointed the Chief Gaming Officer (CGO) of iQOO, after seeking a year for himself from his family to pursue his passion for gaming, and also bought a smartphone on EMI in this regard.

Describing his journey from a student to a CGO, Shwetank Pandey, who was in Lucknow recently told PTI: "The journey was simply brilliant, because if you are pursuing e-sports in India, then giving time to it and garnering support of the family for this is really very difficult.

"But, thanks to my family, I was able to pursue e-sports, and I started e-sports in 2019, when I was in class 12th. I used to play games with my friends then, but it was not competitive."

"After completing class 12th, I pursued graduation with a focus on communication skills. I also worked for a year, so as to assure my family that the future of their child is secure, and so that there are no doubts in their mind.  "During the job, I purchased a phone on EMI, and I had told my family members that I had bought the phone with my money, so that I can do proper gaming. This was in 2022," Pandey, who dropped the idea of pursuing an MBA, said.

He added that after this, his parents were assured that their son's future is secured, and they agreed to give him a "last try at gaming." Expressing his joy over becoming iQOO's Chief Gaming Officer, Shwetank said, "I feel on top of the world right now. When I initially filled out the form, I was reluctant and hoped to be among the finalists. Little did I know that it would lead me this far and eventually result in becoming iQOO's first-ever CGO.