Latest news with #ChessGurukul
India Gazette
3 days ago
- Sport
- India Gazette
R Praggnanandhaa hails 'Chola Chess Initiative', speaks about sport's popularity
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], July 9 (ANI): Indian chess sensation R Praggnanandhaa on Wednesday lauded the Chola Chess initiative, highlighting its free-of-cost facilities and also pointed out the growing popularity of the game. The 19-year-old was speaking to ANI at the inauguration of the Chola Chess facility in Chennai, the initiative being a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative by Cholamandalam Investment and Finance in association with Chess Gurukul, and aims to identify young chess talent across India. Speaking to ANI, he said, 'I myself have attended a Chola Chess camp three months ago. There are regular camps every month, and we go to train with grandmasters. There are so many facilities here that you can play blitz. It is all free of cost. It is an ecosystem where you feel chess everywhere. It is a great initiative, and I am happy to be at the inauguration event. Thirty-six camps have happened, and many more to come.' He also said that chess is gaining popularity and 'young kids are getting inspired to play chess'. 'The key is to have fun with the game... I take every tournament as it comes, and for me right now, my focus will be on the next tournament, which is a freestyle competition,' he added. Notably, India has been doing really well at the international level in chess as of late. D. Gukesh, the reigning World Champion and recipient of the AwaMajor Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna rd, secured a third-place position in the Norway Chess tournament, which concluded early in June. One of his standout moments during the competition was a win over world number one Magnus Carlsen, which was his first classical game win over him. Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi also finished fifth. Also, Aravindh Chithambaram clinched first place in the Stepan Avagyan Memorial Chess Tournament, and R Praggnanandhaa secured second place in the same tournament. The tournament was held from May 28 to June 6. (ANI)
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Our youngsters have the attitude to move on... and improve, says Anand
CHENNAI: In a big move to strengthen India's chess ecosystem and invest in the next generation of champions, Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company (Chola) launched Chola Chess, a CSR initiative aimed at identifying and nurturing young chess talent across the country in collaboration with Chess Gurukul run by GM RB Ramesh. The initiative seeks to provide a structured platform for early-stage, talent development particularly among children showing promise at the grassroots level. Chola Chess aims to catch the talent young and shape them into better players. Led by GM RB Ramesh who will combine elite mentorship, training, and mental conditioning. A standout feature of the initiative will be its hybrid delivery model: will ensure players from across the country, including rural areas, can access high-quality mentorship regardless of geographical region. "With Chola Chess, we are keen to help budding players from the grass root level to give them a platform to be better players. Even mid-level players and those who are experienced can hone their skills,'' said prominent coach RB Ramesh. Viswanathan Anand who was a special guest lauded the initiative and spoke highly about the talent pool in the country. ''It's (talent pool) pretty self explanatory that we have so many people in the top of world chess. You saw it at the Olympiad last year. Something that makes us very proud,'' said Anand. D Gukesh is the world champion, but he has been run down by several players including Magnus Carlsen. Anand felt Gukesh should 'ignore' the comments and keep improving. ''I mean, you cannot go on living by your critics. That's part of the world. You just try to get better. But I am happy that all our youngsters have this attitude. This desire to question yourself and keep improving. And they should continue doing that,'' said Anand.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Chola Chess launched in Chennai
After he won the Uzchess Cup Masters by the end of last month, R. Praggnanandhaa became the World No. 4 (Elo 2779) in the live ratings and is consequently the highest-ranked Indian now. It was his third title of the year, after wins at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk aan Zee and the Superbet Chess Classic in Bucharest. The latter was his maiden Grand Chess Tour (GCT) title. 'This year has been good for me so far. And I hope it continues. We (him and his coach R.B. Ramesh) made some changes in my game, for sure. I think that's showing the results. Last year, things didn't go my way. Ramesh and I, we were working, trying to find things to change. And we made some changes. I think those were critical,' said the 19-year-old at the launch of Chola Chess, a CSR initiative from the Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Limited, in collaboration with Chess Gurukul, on Wednesday. Praggnanandhaa, who's atop the FIDE Circuit leaderboard now, was wary that the other players might catch up and stressed the importance of finishing as the leader to qualify for the Candidates. 'So, he was joint-first in four tournaments, out of which he didn't win one. He won the other three. But joint-first in four is already a great start. He's having a sensational year overall. I think, for him, this year is a reaction to missing out on (winning) the Candidates last year. He's got that extra motivation,' said Indian chess legend and five-time World champion Viswanathan Anand. When asked about World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen's recent jibes at reigning World champion D. Gukesh, Anand said: 'They come with the territory. You cannot expect to be World champion and say people will just be nice to me. You have to just face that.'
Hans India
4 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
Chola Initiative Intends to Catch the Talent Young
In a landmark move to strengthen India's chess ecosystem and invest in the next generation of champions, Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Limited (Chola) is set to launch Chola Chess, a CSR initiative aimed at identifying and nurturing young chess talent across the country. The official unveiling will take place today (July 9, 2025) at the Chola Chess Centre in Chennai, with Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand to deliver the keynote address. In collaboration with Chess Gurukul, the initiative seeks to provide a structured platform for early-stage talent development, particularly among children showing promise at the grassroots level. The event will also feature exhibition matches between top Indian Grandmasters, including R Praggnanandhaa, Aravindh Chidambaram, Pranesh, and Karthikeyan Murali. At the heart of the Chola Chess programme is a simple but powerful idea: to catch the talent young and guide it with the best available resources. The platform, led by Grandmaster RB Ramesh, will combine elite mentorship, strategic training, and mental conditioning to help young players develop both on and off the board. Unlike conventional coaching models, Chola Chess is envisioned as a comprehensive ecosystem — not just focusing on game tactics but also on long-term growth, performance analytics, and tournament preparedness. A standout feature of the initiative will be its hybrid delivery model: the to-be launched digital platform will ensure players from across the country, including rural areas, can access high-quality mentorship regardless of geography. 'With Chola Chess, we are building an ecosystem where discipline, resilience, and strategic thinking are nurtured from a young age,' said GM RB Ramesh, Chief Mentor. 'This platform will help shape not just champions, but also confident, thinking individuals.' India is currently witnessing an unprecedented wave of chess enthusiasm, with young prodigies achieving global recognition and chess being increasingly included in school curricula and educational programmes. However, access to elite mentorship and structured training remains a privilege for only a few. Chola Chess enters the scene at a time when the need for inclusive and high-quality chess infrastructure has never been more urgent. The programme promises to bridge critical gaps — particularly for underrepresented and financially constrained talent — and provide a level playing field for serious learners nationwide. Furthermore, in an evolving CSR landscape, the initiative stands out for its focus on measurable, long-term outcomes. Rather than a short-term engagement, Chola Chess represents a sustained commitment to youth development, using chess as a vehicle for teaching focus, strategy, and critical life skills. Launch Event Details The launch event will take place on July 9, 2025, in Chennai and will be livestreamed on Cholamandalam's official YouTube channel. Attendance is by invitation only, with limited guests, but viewers across India can join online to witness the official unveiling, live matches, and thought leadership from some of India's most respected chess minds.
