World Youth Bridge Championships: India U-16 Unit Finish Fourth In Salsomaggiore

Last Updated:September 12, 2025, 14:49 IST

The young Indian unit played over nine hours a day for seven consecutive days in the host city of Salsomaggiore, showcasing their stamina, focus, and resilience, to finish fourth.

DAIS team Viha Gahrotra, Ananya Mehta, Anshul Bhatt, Jashith Narang, Prakhar Bansal.

The Indian Under-16 team produced a historic performance at the 19th World Youth Bridge Championships in Italy as they made it all the way to the semi-final stage of the event, ultimately finishing fourth.

Competing against some of the best junior players across he globe, the young Indian unit played over nine hours a day for seven consecutive days in the host city of Salsomaggiore, showcasing their stamina, focus, and resilience.

The Indian U-16 contingent, comprising Prakhar Bansal, Viha Gahrotra, Ananya Mehta, Jashith Narang, Adhiyaman Zodypache, and Agilan Zodypache, four of whom come from the Dhirubhai Ambani International School in Mumbai, gave an incredible account of themselves at the event.

“We are immensely proud of Ananya, Jashith, Prakhar, and Viha for their stellar performance at the World Youth Bridge Championships 2025 in Italy, finishing 4th and representing both India and DAIS with distinction," Dan and CEO Abhimanyu Basu said.

Kaushik Mukherjee, who was selected as the Coach of the Indian U-16 team by the Bridge Federation of India, opined that, “At the World Youth Championships in Italy, Jashith, Ananya, Prakhar, and Viha showed incredible resilience. Playing nine hours a day for a full week, they fought through every board with courage and maturity well beyond their years."

“To finish just short of a medal against the strongest teams in the world is a testament to their spirit and determination," he stated.

The rise can be attributed to Anshul Bhatt, who, after winning three gold medals at the 2022 World Youth Bridge Championships, initiated a Bridge BootCamp at DAIS. He has been managing the school’s Bridge Club for the past two years. Basu remarked, “It is wonderful to see how Anshul’s passion for Bridge has inspired a thriving culture at DAIS, and this achievement is a true testament to our students’ talent, teamwork, and perseverance."

Anshul’s achievements and leadership have been widely recognized. He has received honours from global icons such as Bill Gates and Sachin Tendulkar, and he continues to inspire a new generation of Indian players through his initiative, BridgeBlitz.

“Beyond his own achievements, Anshul’s encouragement and mentoring to fellow students has helped cultivate a spirit of collaboration and excellence. We’re proud to see this tradition gaining recognition both nationally and internationally," said Sonali Bajaj, Deputy Head of Secondary School, DAIS.

“What makes this achievement special is that it all began with a bootcamp that Anshul started in school, and today this young team has proven that Indian bridge has a future to be proud of," coach Mukherjee said.

This near-podium finish of the Indian U-16 team follows their participation in the 2024 World Youth Transnationals in Poland, where the foundation for this journey was laid," he added.

“Coaching this team since inception over the past two years has been a privilege and an honour," Priya Ranjan Sinha, who has also coached the DAIS team for the past two years said.

“Anshul is the spark behind this journey which started with the Bootcamp in DAIS. He was instrumental in entrusting me with the task of teaching and coaching these talented youngsters – Jashith, Ananya, Prakhar and Viha," he continued.

“They committed themselves to long hours of practice, embraced the discipline of high-level play, and developed the maturity to handle the pressures of international competition and reaching the U16 Semi Finals is a landmark achievement."

“This team’s success demonstrates that India can reach the pinnacle of youth bridge, and this is only the beginning. Their performance showed that Indian schoolchildren can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best in the world," Sinha added.

Gianarrigo Rona, Former President of the World Bridge Federation, also lauded the efforts of Anshul and likened him to the legendary Viswanathan Anand, who revolutionised the sport of chess in the nation.

“I first saw Anshul as an 8-year-old in Lyon, France, when he won the Joan Gerard Award. Even then, he was precocious and special," Rona said.

“After his three gold medals in 2022, I said his success could do for bridge what Anand’s success did for chess. The near-medal finish by this new brigade from DAIS validates that belief," he added.

“I now predict that Anshul will not only revive Bridge in India, but inspire its growth around the world," Rona concluded.

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