Latest news with #AravindhChithambaram
India Gazette
12-06-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
TN Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin honours Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa and Chithambaram for top performances at international chess events
New Delhi [India], June 12 (ANI): The Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Udhayanidhi Stalin, congratulated the Tamil Nadu chess players, world champion D Gukesh, Aravindh Chithambaram, and R Praggnanandhaa for securing top positions in the international chess tournaments held in Norway and Armenia. A press release from the state government said, 'The Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Mr. Udhayanidhi Stalin, today (12.06.2025) extended his congratulations to: D. Gukesh, the reigning World Junior Champion and recipient of the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, for securing third place in the Norway Chess Tournament, Aravindh Chithambaram, for clinching first place in the Stepan Avagyan Memorial Chess Tournament, and Praggnanandhaa, for securing second place in the same tournament.' Chithambaram, by winning the Stepan Avagyan Memorial Chess Tournament, has now entered the top 10 of the FIDE world rankings. It is noteworthy that he also won first place in the Masters section of the Chennai Grandmasters Tournament held last year in Chennai, conducted by SDAT (Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu). Both Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa are beneficiaries of the Tamil Nadu Government's Elite Scheme for outstanding sportspersons, implemented through the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu. Under this Elite Scheme, sportspersons who win medals in international competitions are provided with an annual grant of Rs 30 lakh to further enhance their skills. This financial support helps them acquire advanced sports equipment, train under world-class coaches abroad, and consistently participate in international competitions to showcase their talent. With three of the four Indian players ranked in the world top 10 in chess hailing from Tamil Nadu--thanks to victories in tournaments like the Norway Chess and the Stepan Avagyan Memorial--this achievement highlights the significant impact of the Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu's efforts in making the state a global leader in the field of sports. This event was also attended by Atulya Misra, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary of Youth Welfare and Sports Development Department, and Mr. J Meghanath Reddy, IAS, Member Secretary of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu. (ANI)
India Gazette
17-05-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
Delhi GM Open to take place from June 7 with record prize pool of 1.21 crores
New Delhi [India], May 17 (ANI): With a record prize pool of Rs 1.21 crore, the Delhi International Open Grandmasters chess tournament is all set for its 21st edition from June 7 to 14 at Tivoli Gardens, Chattarpur, New Delhi, as per the Delhi Chess Association press release. A marquee calendar event on the FIDE World Championship Circuit, the tournament has played a pivotal role in shaping the rise of India's chess stars, including past winners Arjun Erigaisi and Aravindh Chithambaram, R Praggnanandhaa, and World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju, who earned his final GM norm here to become a Grandmaster. Organised under the aegis of the All India Chess Federation, the Delhi GM Open has grown into the largest classical-format chess tournament in Asia by participation. This year, the Delhi GM Open will host over 2,500 players from over 15 countries, including 20 Grandmasters, competing across three rating-based categories. The prize pool marks a 168 per cent increase from last year's edition. Category A carries a Rs 51 lakh prize pool and is open to internationally rated players. Categories B and C, for players rated below 1900 and 1700, respectively, will offer Rs35 lakh each. All matches will follow FIDE rules and the FIDE Swiss System format, with 10 rounds in every section. Speaking on the occasion, Delhi Chess Association president Bharat Singh Chauhan said as quoted by the Delhi Chess Association press release,'Over the past two decades, the Delhi GM Open hasn't just kept pace with the rise of chess in India, but has helped drive it. We've seen the sport move from the margins to the mainstream, and this tournament reflects that shift in every sense, from the scale of participation to the depth of competition and the infrastructure supporting it. With every edition, we're strengthening the foundations for a sustainable, high-performance chess culture in the country.' Category A games will follow a classical time control of 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment from move one, with the top three prizes set at Rs7,00,000, Rs6,00,000, and Rs5,00,000 respectively. The top ten finishers in this category will each receive Rs1,00,000 or more, while special prizes of Rs1,00,000 each will be awarded to the Best Female Player and Best Foreign Player. Category B and C games will follow a 60-minute-plus-30-second time limit and 30-minute-plus-30-second formats, respectively. Entry is free for Grandmasters, International Masters, Women Grandmasters, and Women International Masters. (ANI)
Hans India
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
Delhi GM Open 2025 to commence on June 7 with record prize pool of Rs 1.21 crore
With a record prize pool of Rs 1.21 crore, the Delhi International Open Grandmasters Chess Tournament, organised by the Delhi Chess Association, is all set for its 21st edition from June 7 to 14 at Tivoli Gardens, Chattarpur, New Delhi. A marquee calendar event on the FIDE World Championship Circuit, the tournament has played a pivotal role in shaping the rise of India's chess stars, including past winners Arjun Erigaisi and Aravindh Chithambaram, R. Praggnanandhaa, and World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju, who earned his final GM norm here to become a Grandmaster. Organised under the aegis of the All India Chess Federation, the Delhi GM Open has grown into the largest classical-format chess tournament in Asia by participation. This year, the Delhi GM Open will host over 2,500 players from more than 15 countries, including 20 Grandmasters, competing across three rating-based categories. The prize pool marks a 168 per cent increase from last year's edition. Category A carries a Rs 51 lakh prize pool and is open to internationally rated players. Categories B and C, for players rated below 1900 and 1700, respectively, will offer Rs 35 lakh each. All matches will follow FIDE rules and the FIDE Swiss System format, with 10 rounds in every section. Speaking on the occasion, Delhi Chess Association president Bharat Singh Chauhan said, 'Over the past two decades, the Delhi GM Open hasn't just kept pace with the rise of chess in India, but has helped drive it. We've seen the sport move from the margins to the mainstream, and this tournament reflects that shift in every sense, from the scale of participation to the depth of competition and the infrastructure supporting it. With every edition, we're strengthening the foundations for a sustainable, high-performance chess culture in the country.' Category A games will follow a classical time control of 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment from move one, with the top three prizes set at Rs 7,00,000, Rs 6,00,000 and Rs 5,00,000 respectively. The top ten finishers in this category will each receive Rs 1,00,000 or more while special prizes of Rs 1,00,000 each will be awarded to the Best Female Player and Best Foreign Player. Category B and C games will follow a 60-minute-plus-30-second time limit and 30-minute-plus-30-second formats, respectively. Entry is free for Grandmasters, International Masters, Women Grandmasters, and Women International Masters.
Hans India
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Esports to make its mark at KIYG 2025 with BGMI, Street Fighter 6, Chess, eFootball
For the first time in the history of the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG), esports will be stepping into the spotlight as a demonstration event. Currently taking place in Bihar from May 4 to 14, KIYG 2025 will host its esports competitions from May 6 to 7 at the Patliputra Sports Complex, featuring popular titles such as Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball on both mobile and console. While BGMI remains the most popular esports title in India, Chess stands out as a particularly noteworthy addition to KIYG 2025. Once considered a purely traditional sport, Chess has increasingly found a home in the esports world, most recently as part of the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025, which boasts a prize pool of USD 1.5 million (Rs 12.6 crore) for the title. NODWIN Gaming, a leader in South Asia's esports and gaming ecosystem, has been one of the pioneers of this shift in India. In 2021, the company organised the Chess Super League, featuring national and international stars and also hosted Chess tournaments at DreamHack India 2024 across rapid and blitz formats. Featuring titles that span mobile, console, and strategy-based formats like chess, the esports lineup at KIYG 2025 reflects a deliberate effort to cater to diverse gaming audiences. 'The inclusion of titles like BGMI, Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball in the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 signals a big step forward for grassroots esports in India. It's encouraging to see esports standing shoulder to shoulder with traditional sports, and the addition of Chess - bridging classical and digital strategy shows how in tune this initiative is with global trends," said Akshat Rathee, co-founder and managing director of NODWIN Gaming. Further underscoring the growing stature of Indian Chess in esports, S8UL, a global force in esports and gaming content, has signed Grandmasters Aravindh Chithambaram and Nihal Sarin to compete at the EWC 2025. In addition to Chess, S8UL will also field players in Street Fighter 6, as well as EAFC25, Call of Duty Warzone, Tekken 8, and Apex Legends at the prestigious tournament. Animesh Agarwal, Co-founder and CEO of S8UL, believes that the inclusion of titles like Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball console in KIYG 2025 reflects a thoughtful push to diversify beyond mobile gaming and build a more well-rounded competitive ecosystem. Before its inclusion in KIYG 2025, the state of Bihar actively embraced the esports movement by organising the Bihar State Esports Open Championship and the Bihar Inter School and College Esports Championship over the past year. States like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Nagaland have also taken proactive steps to support and formalise grassroots esports programs. With S8UL participating in Chess and Street Fighter at the EWC 2025, India has already been making waves on the international stage in eFootball, with Pavan Kampelli winning the bronze medal at the 2024 Asian Esports Games in Bangkok. Esports will be an official medal sport at the 2026 Asian Games, and the first-ever Olympic Esports Games is scheduled to debut in 2027.
