PM-Gamers Meet | Payal Dhare defied gender norms to win accolades, become India's leading female gamer

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a free-wheeling interaction with top Indian online gamers and raised a host of issues about the future as well as the challenges before the e-gaming industry.

They also engaged on issues concerning gambling vs gaming while discussing women participation in the gaming industry.

Tirth Mehta, Payal Dhare, Animesh Agarwal, Anshu Bisht, Naman Mathur, Mithilesh Patankar, Ganesh Gangadhar made it to the 'gaming interaction' with PM. Amongst the lot, Payal Dhare created a lot of buzz as she was the only female gamer in the lot.

She shared a photo with PM Modi from the meeting on her Instagram account and wrote, “Honored to have met Honorable Prime Minister Shree Narendra Modi to discuss the future of gaming in India! Feeling blessed to be part of S8ul and grateful for this incredible opportunity. His charismatic personality and determination to do something for the nation is par excellence. Let’s continue to shape the gaming landscape together!.”

Who is Payal Dhare?

Payal Dhare, also known as "Payal Gaming," is a prominent figure in India's gaming community, breaking barriers as a female game creator and personality within the Indian Gaming Community (IGC).

Hailing from Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, Payal defied traditional gender norms that discouraged girls from gaming. Despite initial reservations, her father supported her passion, enabling her to pursue her dreams.

Associated with S8UL Esports, she primarily streams Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) but has recently expanded her content to include other games as well, reported News18.

Since 2021, Payal has been making significant strides in the gaming world, securing multiple awards as a content creator and streamer at prestigious events like the Indian Gaming Awards and Creators United. Her accolades include the 'Dynamite Gaming Creator of the Year' and 'Best Female Gamer' awards in 2023, and the 'Gaming Creator of the Year Female' award in 2024, the publication added.

Her YouTube channel, Payal Gaming, boasts an impressive 3.7 million subscribers, with estimated monthly earnings ranging from $3.4K to $54K USD, as per Social Blade. Additionally, her YouTube Shorts channel, Payal Shorts, has over 600K subscribers.

Beyond gaming, Payal owns a thrift store called 'thriftxpayal' and commands a substantial following of over 3 million on Instagram.

Her meeting with Prime Minister Modi was a moment of immense pride for her father, Shivshankar Dhare, who told to PTI “I am very proud. When PM Modi called her to meet, I felt extremely happy. Sitting with the Prime Minister of our country, and playing games with him is unbelievable. Everyone who meets me now says that Payal has made the village and the district proud.”