AICF launches quarterly stipend scheme to support young chess players
The All India Chess Federation (AICF) has launched the Top National Players Stipend Scheme (TNPSS), an initiative to provide financial support to India's young chess talents. Under this scheme, the players will receive a quarterly stipend of Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 1,50,000 (depending on the age group). The aim is to ease the financial burden on families and help young players focus fully on their game. The first set of beneficiaries has already received their stipends. Check out the article to know who these players are and what they had to say about this scheme.
AICF's timely push for young talents
The All India Chess Federation (AICF) has taken a major step for Indian Chess. They have launched an initiative called the Top National Players Stipend Scheme (TNPSS). As the name suggests, this scheme is to provide financial support to India's talented young chess players. With this, our talents can chase their dreams without worrying about money.
As mentioned by AICF President Nitin Narang, this was a dream project to nurture the chess prodigies who bring glory to the country. The first beneficiaries of this project were 42 players across various age categories from Under 7 to Under 19. These are the players who performed exceptionally well at the national level last year and have great potential for the future.
This is more than just a scheme. It shows how deeply we believe in the promise of every young chess player in Bharat. 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.", said Nitin Narang, AICF President.
For many families, managing the costs of travel, tournaments, and coaching is like walking a tightrope. That's where this scheme will help them to ease that pressure. The stipend will range from Rs. 60,000 (for Under 7) to Rs. 1,50,000 (for Under 19) per quarter. This financial support will go a long way in helping players cover their essential expenses. The first round of payments, a total of Rs. 42.3 lakhs for the April to June quarter, has already reached the selected players.
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. 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. - Narang added.
Another important reason behind this scheme is to increase the value of national tournaments. Considering these benefits, more players will hopefully get motivated to participate and do well at national tournaments. This scheme will continue for two years, and it has a huge budget of Rs. 6,15,60,000.
Here is a list of the first 42 players selected under this scheme:
Age group | Player | Category |
|---|---|---|
Under 7 | Devanarayanan Kalliyath | Open |
Under 7 | Prayank Gaonkar | Open |
Under 7 | Aaradhyo Guin | Open |
Under 7 | Aaranya R | Girls |
Under 7 | Arpitangshi Bhattacharya | Girls |
Under 7 | Saiaastha Singh | Girls |
Under 9 | Nidhish Shyamal | Open |
Under 9 | Aarit Kapil | Open |
Under 9 | Divith Reddy Adulla | Open |
Under 9 | Kiyanna Parihaar | Girls |
Under 9 | Divi Bijesh | Girls |
Under 9 | Vanshika Rawat | Girls |
Under 11 | Madhvendra Pratap Sharma | Open |
Under 11 | Advik Amit Agrawal | Open |
Under 11 | Aarav A | Open |
Under 11 | Pratitee Bordoloi | Girls |
Under 11 | Aadya Gowda | Girls |
Under 11 | Divi Bijesh | Girls |
Under 13 | Reyan Md | Open |
Under 13 | Sherla Prathamesh | Open |
Under 13 | Pranav Sai Ram R S | Open |
Under 13 | Saranya Devi Narahari | Girls |
Under 13 | Nivedita V C | Girls |
Under 13 | Nihira Koul | Girls |
Under 15 | Ilamparthi A R | Open |
Under 15 | Vaz Ethan | Open |
Under 15 | Sherla Prathamesh | Open |
Under 15 | Prishita Gupta | Girls |
Under 15 | Jain Ashita | Girls |
Under 15 | Saparya Ghosh | Girls |
Under 17 | Sriram Adarsh Uppala | Open |
Under 17 | Arpith S Bijoy | Open |
Under 17 | Jaiveer Mahendru | Open |
Under 17 | Tejaswini G | Girls |
Under 17 | Kirthika B | Girls |
Under 17 | Anupam M Sreekumar | Girls |
Under 19 | Adireddy Arjun | Open |
Under 19 | Sourath Biswas | Open |
Under 19 | Jaiveer Mahendru | Open |
Under 19 | Mrittika Mallick | Girls |
Under 19 | Velpula Sarayu | Girls |
Under 19 | Sneha Halder | Girls |
Some of the selected players shared their thoughts on being part of the scheme. Here is what they had to say:
1. Kiyanna Parihaar
Kiyanna would like to extend her heartfelt thanks to the All India Chess Federation for this wonderful initiative," said her family. "This stipend is not just financial support, but also a motivation for Kiyanna and her parent to work even harder and strive for excellence in chess. We are grateful for the AICF's commitment to nurturing young talent in India. - Kiyanna's parents.
2. Sarayu Velpula
Aicf has taken a good initiative by giving 1.5 lakh to the players, this is very useful for achieving my goals ,I will be very greatful for aicf.
3. Tejaswini G
I was really overwhelmed when I got the news from AICF, as it is a huge amount, and I felt really motivated and happy. It is really helpful for our training and tournament expenses. It's a great initiative by AICF which helps many players like me to reach the next level, and I'm really thankful for it.
4. Jaiveer Mahendru
For someone who has always hesitated in coaching due to high fees, this is a dream come true. I want to profusely thank the sponsors for such a great initiative!
5. Ilamparthi
I would like to thank the AICF for this great initiative. Recognising and encouraging players through such initiatives, while they invest a lot of time and effort, can really boost morale, performance and commitment. It also helps to reduce some financial pressure on parents.
6. Ethan Vaz
We feel very fortunate to receive such amazing support for Ethan. We are extremely grateful to AICF, and especially to the President, Nitin Narang sir, whose visionary leadership in spearheading the blueprint, and unwavering commitment to making it a reality, has led to this historic moment. Such support from AICF for young performers will surely be a game changer for Indian chess. We feel truly blessed! - Ethan's parents
7. Divith Reddy Adulla
This is a great initiative by AICF encouraging young talent. This is the first such financial support a player gets without having to go in search of sponsors, essentially reducing the burden on parent spending on chess training and attending tournaments. This is also a token of recognition for the hard work kids are putting in. - Mahesh, Divith's father.
Mahesh further added:
"Chess as a sport ecosystem lacks appreciation of the game, which could grab and tie the attention of viewers. For example, in cricket, when a batsman hits a four or a six, everyone understands it and appreciates the skill of hitting it. If a bowler takes a wicket, the beauty of the bowling is appreciated. This keeps the viewers stick to the match. The brilliance in the game of chess, 'appreciating a move, appreciating a position, appreciating an initiative, appreciating a tactic, appreciating a positional maneuver' does not get the same level of viewer attention. This requires eduction of the game at an academic level, so that that level of understanding is imparted to everyone to understand and appreciate the game. Monetizing chess education at the academic level could help. Efforts in this direction could help much more to the good of the game."
Here is what some of the top players had to say about this scheme:
As President Narang said, “Bharat has not merely risen; we are now a chess superpower.”
