All India Chess Federation Issues Stipend To Budding Talent In Historic Initiative

Last Updated:June 25, 2025, 23:04 IST

The inaugural quarterly stipend, ranging from Rs 60,000 to Rs 1,50,000, was dispatched directly to the accounts of the young prospects in Under 7 to Under 19 categories.

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The All India Chess Federation (AICF) announced the launch of the Top National Players Stipend Scheme (TNPSS), a financial support initiative aid budding chess talent in India.

The initiative, led by AICF President Nitin Narang, marks the nation’s commitment to nurturing chess from the grassroots level.

“This is more than just a scheme. It shows how deeply we believe in the promise of every young chess player in Bharat," Narang said.

“For the first time in our history, we are directly investing in the future of our ‘golden girls and boys’, providing them with the sustained financial bedrock they need to transform their talent into triumph. This is more than a token; it’s a demonstration of our profound support and a catalyst for their dreams," the AICF Chief added.

The inaugural quarterly stipend, ranging from Rs 60,000 to Rs 1,50,000, was dispatched directly to the accounts of the young prospects on Wednesday.

“One of the key objectives is to increase the importance of national tournaments, as they are the foundation for building a strong chess ecosystem in Bharat. It is at the nationals where we can identify and nurture talent", Narang explained.

A cumulative amount of Rs 42,30,000, in benefit of promising players in Under 7 to Under 19 categories for the months of April to June was dispatched.

“For too long, financial constraints have cast a shadow over the aspirations of our chess players. The demands of travel, training, and international competition often forces players to abandon their passion which is a profound loss for our nation," Narang continued.

“TNPSS is our definitive answer to these challenges, a bold stride towards a player-centric policy that empowers our youth to focus solely on honing their skills and conquering the chessboard," he added.

This pioneering initiative is designed to provide robust financial assistance to promising top players from nationals for a critical period of two years. This invaluable support will significantly alleviate the burden of training and global competition expenses, allowing young players to immerse themselves fully in their game and pursue excellence on the world stage without economic hardship.

A total of 42 top-ranked players based on their last year performances at national level are the first beneficiaries of this visionary scheme, representing the pinnacle of talent across the U7, U9, U11, U13, U15, U17, and U19 age categories.

The beneficiaries of the TNPSS:

Under 7:

Open: Devanarayanan Kalliyath, Prayank Gaonkar, Aaradhyo Guin

Girls: Aaranya R, Arpitangshi Bhattacharya, Saiaastha Singh

Under 9:

Open: Nidhish Shyamal, Aarit Kapil, Divith Reddy Adulla

Girls: Kiyanna Parihaar, Divi Bijesh, Vanshika Rawat

Under 11:

Open: Madhvendra Pratap Sharma, Advik Amit Agrawal, Aarav A

Girls: Pratitee Bordoloi, Aadya Gowda, Divi Bijesh

Under 13:

Open: Reyan Md, Sherla Prathamesh, Pranav Sai Ram R S

Girls: Saranya Devi Narahari, Nivedita V C, Nihira Koul

Under 15:

Open: Ilamparthi A R, Vaz Ethan, Sherla Prathamesh

Girls: Prishita Gupta, Jain Ashita, Saparya Ghosh

Under 17:

Open: Sriram Adarsh Uppala, Arpith S Bijoy, Jaiveer Mahendru

Girls: Tejaswini G, Kirthika B, Anupam M Sreekumar

Under 19:

Open: Adireddy Arjun, Sourath Biswas, Jaiveer Mahendru

Girls: Mrittika Mallick, Velpula Sarayu, Sneha Halder

(With Inputs From IANS)

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