Gaming is a boys’ club. Women gamers in India turn to streaming
These are just some of the comments Kaira has received on YouTube while playing Valorant, a tactical multiplayer shooting game dominated by male gamers. Her headshots land with precision, but getting respect is a tougher target.
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“No matter how skilled you are, male gamers will always find ways to mock you. They’re constantly watching, waiting for you to make a mistake so they can make fun of you,” said Kaira. “The best way to handle this is to ignore it and focus on improving your skills.”
India’s gaming industry is booming and on track to hit $9.2 billion by 2029, according to a report by Lumikai, the country’s leading gaming VC fund. And women are a big part of the action, now making up 44 per cent of India’s 507 million gamers. But for women like Kaira, gaming is a combat zone in more ways than one. They’re targets of sexist trolling, all-women tournaments are scarce, and it’s a struggle to be taken seriously in an industry where men still call the shots.
There are always people who truly support you, but there are also those who are only there to make fun of women playing games, commenting on their dress, makeup, and looks. This type of audience affects us mentally and impacts our gameplay
-Saloni Pawar, aka Meow16K
So, many women are pivoting. Instead of battling biases in competitive tournaments, they’re turning to streaming platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and Instagram Gaming. Here, they can play, perform, and build audiences on their own terms, away from the gatekeeping and hostility of traditional gaming spaces. Some are even blending their gaming skills with lifestyle content and creating a unique and growing niche.
“Women who are passionate about gaming should remember that it’s okay to be different and to choose a different path,” said Salone Sehgal, founding general partner at Lumikai. “Female gamers and streamers like Ankita Chauhan, Shagufta Iqbal, Payal Dhare have been popularising gaming for a long time. They’re not just playing games but also entertaining, creating content, and influencing the culture.”
But though streaming has opened doors, it’s also a reminder of the systemic inequalities that women still face in competitive gaming. Globally, the industry’s top ranks remain stubbornly male-dominated. Of the world’s top 400 esports players, not a single one is a woman, according to a 2023 report. Even in the US, women players earn an average of just $3.42 for every $100 earned by men.
Kaira has been gaming since she was a child, playing on her cousin’s console and later on her mobile phone. A few years ago, she set up her own gaming and streaming station in her small Paschim Vihar home. She’s competed in several tournaments, placing third in the Skyesports Grandslam in February 2023 and second in March 2024. In November 2023, she also participated in the Taiwan Excellence Gaming Cup.
But it’s not enough. In 2022, Kaira quit her graphic design job to focus on gaming and streaming, but due to a lack of tournaments and earning opportunities, she had to put that dream on hold. She returned to her job in 2024 and now streams on weekends. On her YouTube channel, which has over 11K subscribers, her videos often show her breaking down strategies with fellow players and occasionally breaking into song mid-match.
“Female gamers being trolled or harassed doesn’t just happen in India but globally,” said Sehgal. “However, now more female streamers are stepping forward to support each other, build their own communities, and stand together to carve out their space in the gaming world.”
Even as India’s esports industry grew to $3.8 billion in 2024 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi championed the potential of Indian gaming talent, women are being left behind.
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Skill, strategy, and style
More than sharp reflexes or high scores, streaming success is about personality, relatability, glamour, and snagging brand partnerships along the way.
Shagufta Iqbal, better known as Xyaa, is one of India’s standout streamers. On YouTube and Instagram, she’s well-known for her deft gameplay in first-person shooter games like Apex Legends, as well as story-driven role-playing ones such as Dark Souls and Elden Ring. But it’s her warm, candid interactions with her audience that truly set her apart.
The 30-year-old Pune gamer has also mastered the art of delivering velvet-gloved punches to online hecklers.
In one stream, a viewer called her out with a snide comment: “Jindagi main hunar bhi apna liya karo aur kitne dino tak makeup karogi, kabhi bina makeup ke bhi live stream par aaya karo” (Learn some skill in your life instead of just wearing makeup. Why don’t you try streaming without it)?
Xyaa’s response was quick and confident. In a 56-second video titled “Xyaa Removes Makeup on Stream”, she wiped off her makeup mid-stream. The clip, which has racked up over 374K views, struck a chord with her followers. There were some predictable comments about her “natural beauty” but many viewers cheered her attitude. “Xyaa rocked, haters shocked,” wrote one commenter.
Moments like these have made her a favourite in India’s gaming community. When she won the title of Streamer of the Year (Female) award at the 2024 India Gaming Awards, she posted photos with the trophy and wrote: “My first ever AWARD!! We won Streamer of the Year (Female)!!!”
Indian women gamers like her are making strides carving out a space on social media and streaming platforms, offering everything from casual playthroughs to fiercely competitive esports content.
“Content creation specifically stands out as a space where women are increasing their presence,” said Mohit Israney, co-founder of Global Esports, a professional esports organisation. “Companies are taking notice and are taking steps to include more female gamers—from all-women esports rosters, to brand partnerships, to greater inclusion in games themselves.”
But fans tune in not just to see their favourite gamers take down virtual enemies but also to catch raw, unfiltered glimpses of their lives across platforms.
Beyond the joystick
Saloni Pawar glides smoothly between her gaming alter ego Meow16K and her personal life online. On YouTube, where she has 60.5K subscribers, the professional Valorant and Counter-Strike player is often in the heat of virtual combat. But on Instagram, her 24.8K followers see a different side—gym photos, stylish outfits, and candid moments from her daily life.
Pawar, who lives in Mumbai, didn’t always have her family’s support. But when the 25-year-old started earning through streaming and content creation, they changed their minds. Now a full-time gamer and streamer, Pawar started her journey about eight years ago with gameplay clips and commentary in voiceovers. Over time, her content evolved to include travel vlogs and unboxing videos. It’s now as much about her personality as her gaming skills.
“On stream, I have to multitask—interact with the audience, sometimes handle brand collaborations, which becomes a little difficult sometimes, but this is what I enjoy the most and always wanted to do,” said Pawar.
This blend of gaming prowess and aspirational content is now a defining feature for many female streamers. Brand collaborations are now a regular feature, with gamers promoting everything from gaming equipment to lifestyle products.
Xyaa recently posted an Instagram video where she raved about the Motorola Edge 50 Pro’s sleek design and charging speed, while playing a game on it. It got 6.7M views. In another video in November, she gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at her gaming setup and “dream PC”—part personal tour, part subtle promotion of products like her chair and monitor.
Pawar took viewers through unboxing her newly brought UltraGear 27GP750 Gaming Monitor. “I have levelled up my setup, now it’s time to level up my game,” said the caption. Top gamer Payal Dhare also shares everything from red-carpet looks at awards to promotions for products such as Myntra’s Glitchez OP line.
But with visibility comes trolling and objectification. Female gamers often face comments like “Wife material”, “Cutie lag rahi ho” (You’re looking cute), or crude personal comments about physical attributes. Many commenters also love to mock their gameplay, pointing out mistakes or blaming their gender when they lose.
“Male ego is a major factor. When something doesn’t work out for male gamers, they start making fun of female gamers. Toxicity and sexist comments are very much present in gaming for women,” said Ashrit “notyAshritB” Goyal, an Indian Rainbow Six Siege player who last played for Hasib Warriors.
Women gamers aren’t just role models but symbols of inclusivity and empowerment. They inspire others to embrace gaming without fear of judgment or harassment
-Harshleen Kaur aka Kaira
Though female gamers are growing in number, many are judged more for their looks than their skill. Viewers often turn to male gamers for strategies and techniques and treat women’s streams as entertainment.
“There are always people who truly support you, but there are also those who are only there to make fun of women playing games, commenting on their dress, makeup, and looks. This type of audience affects us mentally and impacts our gameplay, but the best way to deal with it is by ignoring it,” said Pawar.
Levelling up, but not for women
If sexism runs wild in streaming, it’s even more entrenched in competitive gaming. Even as India’s esports industry grew to $3.8 billion in 2024 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi championed the potential of Indian gaming talent, women are being left behind.
The upcoming Olympic Esports Games and the WAVES Esports Championship, supported by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, have gamers buzzing for this year. But at the same time, Indian women gamers are losing even some of the limited opportunities they once had.
Global Esports was among the first to launch an all-female lineup back in 2018-19, starting with the League of Legends. But like other organisations, such as Orangutan and Velocity Gaming, they shut down their female roster for games like Valorant in 2024, citing a lack of tournaments and brand interest.
“We make changes according to the games and upcoming events,” said Israney of Global Esports. “From having female players from all over Asia to focusing solely on Indian players, we adapted as needed. But sometimes the hype around a game dies out—like with CSGO—or players choose different career paths.”
Audience bias apart, tournaments specifically for women remain rare and are organised by only a handful of groups. This forces many women to switch to content creation or to abandon esports as a career option—as was the case for Kaira.
Content creation specifically stands out as a space where women are increasing their presence. Companies are taking notice and are taking steps to include more female gamers—from all-women esports rosters to brand partnerships
-Mohit Israney, co-founder of Global Esports
“Tournaments are where we can showcase our gameplay and gain audience attention, but this is not happening on a large scale in India,” she said. “It’s not just up to organisations— the government should also step in and start conducting various types and levels of tournaments.”
This lack of opportunities not only affects visibility but also earnings. While gamers can earn through multiple channels—salaries from organisations, sponsorship deals, YouTube ad revenue, brand endorsements, event appearances, and members-only content—the potential varies greatly depending on the game and the player’s profile.
“BGMI pros earn between Rs 50,000 and Rs 5 lakh monthly, with some star athletes receiving higher salaries. In VCT (Valorant Champions Tour), the minimum league-mandated salary is $50,000 per year, which amounts to about Rs 42 lakh annually. Most Indian athletes were either around or above this mark,” said Dr Rushindra Sinha, co-founder of Global Esports.
For women gamers, however, these earnings are usually out of reach.
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Making space beyond streaming
Search for Indian women gamers, and one name dominates: Payal Dhare, or PayalGaming. With 4.24M subscribers on YouTube and nearly as many on Instagram, she is not just India’s most followed female gamer but became the first Indian woman to win an international gaming award, taking home the ‘Streamer of the Year’ title at the Mobies Awards in Los Angeles on 20 November.
Last year, Dhare was the only female gamer invited to meet Prime Minister Modi along with six male esports players, including Animesh Agarwal, Anshu Bisht, and Tirth Mehta, to discuss the future of the Indian gaming industry.
In a field where female role models are few and far between, the success of players like Dhare, Pawar, and Iqbal is setting a new benchmark for what women can achieve in gaming.
For 25-year-old Uzma Ansari from Srinagar, gaming started as a lockdown pastime with PUBG, now BGMI. Everything changed in 2021 when she stumbled on Dhare’s videos. Uzma picked up gameplay tips and found a role model.
“I started out using my brother’s ID, but once I saw more female players, I switched to my own. I still play and follow other women gamers,” said Uzma, now pursuing a master’s in Arabic.
Kaira, meanwhile, calls Saloni Pawar her gold standard. She says watching Pawar’s videos and live streams taught her how to connect with audiences and create engaging content.
“Women gamers aren’t just role models but symbols of inclusivity and empowerment,” said Kaira. “They inspire others to embrace gaming without fear of judgment or harassment, leading to a growing community of women gamers and audiences.”
Gaming communities are also stepping up to make esports safer and more accessible for women. The Female Esports League (FSL), Women in Games (WIG), and even Global Esports now provide salaries, boot camps, and professional coaching for female players. While their reach is still limited—most initiatives can be counted on one hand—they are paving the way for more women in esports.
Globally, too, Riot Games has taken significant steps with the Valorant Game Changers Championship, building an ecosystem for all-girls teams to compete internationally.
“Female esports is still not that big in India yet. The viewership and excitement are quite limited, but women gamers and organisations are constantly working to make the industry more open and inclusive for women,” Pawar said.
The stakes are even higher for gamers like Siona, a 25-year-old from Delhi, who says streaming isn’t for her, but giving up gaming isn’t an option either.
“If someone is not very good at gaming, they can still earn quite a bit from streaming. However, if they want to be recognised among top gamers, they need to be exceptionally skilled and participate in national and international tournaments,” she said. “I am camera shy and not so good at speaking to an audience. I’d rather make my gaming skills better instead.”
(Edited by Asavari Singh)
