After a historic month for chess in India, the All India Chess Federation announced a slew of initiatives to further popularize chess in India and unveiled a whopping budget of Rs 65 million.
Last month, five Indian grandmasters – Gukesh, Prajnananda and Vidit Gujrati in the open category, Humpy Koneru and Vaishali in the women's category – competed in the prestigious Candidates Tournament. Gukesh, 17, won the open section event and became the youngest player to qualify for the World Chess Championship.
Currently, in order to take advantage of the progress made in 64 squares, the Indian Chess Federation has created a Chess Development Fund, introduced strong financial support through player contracts and coaching at all levels, and provided financial assistance to district and state associations. A number of initiatives were announced, including financial support. Establishing a state-of-the-art National Chess Arena (NCA) for elite-level training and an India-specific AICF assessment system.
AICF's new president Nitin Narang unveiled the National Chess Federation's blueprint at the AICF general meeting on Saturday night, identifying four key issues to be addressed: integrating chess into school curricula; Introduction of e-learning (chess in education); Discovery and development of human resources. Strengthening grassroots academies and training institutions. and the sustainability of the All India Chess Federation (AICF).
“At the heart of chess is the player and many have to sacrifice their passion due to lack of funding, institutional support and opportunities. Through our myriad initiatives, we are committed to making every player's dream a reality. We empower players at the grassroots level and ensure their rise to global level excellence. We are establishing a Chess Development Fund to bring chess to every home,” Narang said, expressing his ambition to bring chess to every home.
Here are some of the most notable features announced by AICF.
Contracts with international level players: AICF has announced that it will introduce two-year contracts for international level players from U-7 to U-19 and will pay players funds ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000 through direct benefit transfer based on relevant categories. did. Players promote chess through grassroots activities such as “Meet the Champions” at educational institutions.
Chess Development Fund: This fund supports initiatives such as training-the-trainer programs, coach certification, and outreach activities including workshops and conferences. The aim is to integrate chess into school curricula and provide resources tailored to female players and different social groups.
Women's chess program: The Women In Chess program aims to strengthen inclusivity and opportunities in chess for women, expanding the Smart Girls program with at least 50 annual events, each supported by a grant of ₹1,00,000. Masu. AICF also said it will maintain a 33% female representation in several key areas, including coach and arbiter certifications, the participation of female arbiters in AICF-sanctioned events, and participation in the campus ambassador program.
Plans for chess content creators: AICF also said it wants to collaborate with YouTubers, influencers, and streamers, as well as nurturing new creators through mentorship from existing content creators, to foster a vibrant community of chess content creators.
Other plans include:
Organize the National Chess Awards and Chess Development Conference to recognize outstanding coaches and players, while bringing together industry leaders and universities to advance the game through strategic workshops and discussions, and promote the development of chess and society. This award recognizes significant contributions to both.
corporate chess league
As well as initiatives for the elderly ('Checkmate Dementia'), a wheelchair chess program in collaboration with NGOs, and a chess initiative for at-risk youth.
