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Rahul "Novaking" Dhankar is a former PUBG Mobile competitive player who also creates gaming content. He has been a part of various popular eSports organizations.
His Instagram handle is Novaking0, while his YouTube channel is called Novaking. In an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda, Novaking shares his personal life and professional gaming experiences.
Q: Other than gaming, how were you in your studies and which field you had opted for?
A: I opted to go to Maharaja Institute for Mechanical and Automation Engineering. I have always been a keen observer of things and like to apply a practical approach to everything that comes my way. For instance, I had some friends who used to build their own ATV Vehicle. Even though I wasn't a part of their team, I used to observe them and admired how they gave everything a practical outlook.
Q: How was your family support initially when you started gaming?
A: When I started gaming, I used to play a then-popular game called 'Mini Militia.' As it was a 2D game, some thought that its community is not that big, and only a handful of people play it. On the contrary, the game became really popular in different parts of the world.
I started my gaming Channel by posting several videos on this game. I am very grateful that I had my parents' support right from the start. They even used to ask me when I would gain 1000 or 10K subs. They have always been by my side.
Q: Who is your favorite teammate, and why?
A: Dark and Iconic are my favorite teammates, although Iconic annoys me a lot. They are the only ones whom I have played the longest with. I have met a lot of exemplary players like Scout, Mortal, and Assassin. But these are the ones whom I can call as the best teammates.
Q: Previous games you used to play before PUBG Mobile?
A: Like everyone, I have played a lot of video and PC Games like GTA. During the initial days of my YouTube career, I used to Play Mini Militia and Critical Ops.
Q: What was the turning point of your career?
A: The turning point of my career was when I went to play PMSC Thailand Asia Finals 2018 with Scout, Naruto, and Assasin. Then, I was also invited to Dubai as a Guest at PMSC Dubai Finals. These tournaments gave my life a new direction. I had also left my Finals Year exams of two subjects during the Dubai Tournament.
Q: The best tip that you would like to share with an underdog who wants to enter competitive gaming?
A: If you want to enter competitive gaming, then the priority should be on building a good team as things don't work just from an individual's performance. Several free entry tournaments are held with a good prize pool.
Always give your 100% effort in this field, and one should not enter gaming if he cannot dedicate time to it. The best example is Team Celtz. They started their journey from the ground level and went on to achieve a lot of things.
Q: Why do people call your stream as "Nova Leaks"?
A: I used to disclose the things to the community, which were already known by a significant part of the audience.
Q: What motivates you to push to conqueror every season?
A: I don't even know what drives me to do it. I still stay awake until 7:30 a.m. when the New Season Royale Pass is about to arrive, when I see other people on my list playing matches, that gives me the push to reach conqueror.
Q: What happened in the funny incident between Team Element's Owner and you on stream?
A: The incident was hyped entirely by the audience. I had been streaming the game for days without sleeping, in the desire to hit the conqueror tier. I was engaged in an in-game battle with a roster that killed my team. I later found it to be Mr. Sohail's team (Element Esports' Owner) and got really angry.
However, it was not Sohail's fault as his team was stream sniping us.
Q: Who is the person in the community whom you can rely on blindly?
A: I have 6-7 friends in the community whom I can blindly rely on. Some of them are Iconic, Dark, Scout, Thug, Mortal. If I had to take only a single name, I would go for Iconic.
Q: Who is your inspiration in PUBG Mobile?
A: My favorite player has always been BTR Ryzen. I have been following his gameplay since I used to play on an iPad.
Q: What are your plans as a competitive gamer and as a content creator?
A: This year, I will be taking a break from competitive gaming. I might come back next year after proper practice. As a content creator, I have planned many new things. I think this year is going to be mine as far as content creation is considered. But as a competitive gamer, I might return in the near future. I would also join Synergy Productions.
Novaking's gameplay
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