How Sandip Upadhyay is creating chess champions in rural Gujarat

by Rasika Ratnaparkhi - 06/10/2025

Sandip Upadhyay, a teacher at Ratusinh na Muvada Government School in Mahisagar District, Gujarat, has taught chess to over a hundred students and created six rated chess players, all through his own effort and resources. Yet, very few know his story. His idea was simple: teach his students chess because he knew it. But that simple thought sparked something extraordinary. Today, it has transformed the entire school. His students dominate nearly every tournament they enter, and six of his students are now supported by the state government. After seeing their dedication, we organized a chess camp at their school on 9th–10th September to help them improve and give them an extra push. Check out this article to see what we experienced at this truly unique chess school in Gujarat. Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

Hidden chess village spotted!

Did you know that India has its own “Chess Village”? It’s Marottichal, a small village in Kerala. It has a unique tradition that almost every resident, young or old, plays chess. Many years ago, a local tea shop owner, C. Unnikrishnan, introduced chess to the villagers as a way to fight alcoholism and gambling addiction. It started as his personal mission and slowly transformed the entire community. You will easily find more information about this story. You will be amazed to see how one man’s vision turned an entire village around. But there is one more village, unknown to many, where something just as inspiring is taking shape. Here as well, it’s the passion of one person that is making an impact.

In this village, that visionary is Sandip Upadhyay. | Photo: Sandip Upadhyay

We wrote about Sandip Upadhyay in March this year. He works as a teacher at Ratusinh na Muvada Government School in Mahisagar District, Gujarat. You can read more about his incredible work in this article. This time, I had the chance to visit his school and experience everything first-hand. After learning about the efforts Sandip ji has been making for his students, we felt it would be wonderful to conduct a chess camp there, something similar to the chess camp we organize at Phoenix Marketcity Mall in Mumbai.

For Neeraj and me, this camp carried a different kind of excitement, because it was our first experience of doing something like this.

Before we even reached the school, Sandip ji told us, “You are about to see the most extraordinary school.” When he said that, I couldn’t help but wonder what makes a school extraordinary. Is it the infrastructure, the students, or something else entirely? I had no idea what to expect, but I was eager to find out.

The moment we entered the school, we saw all the kids waiting for us.

This was such a heartwarming sight! | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

At that moment, I just thought, "Every single one of these kids knows chess! How amazing is that?" | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

After the warm welcome, a few students stepped forward to show their talent. One of them was Divya, who amazed us by reciting the last Ding–Gukesh World Championship game, move by move, without a slip! | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

Then we finally got to see their school, the place we had been so eager to see. The first thing that caught our eye was a chessboard painted on the wall!

A simple yet brilliant idea! It was painted to train students in visualization and calculation. | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

Very quickly, we could feel the magic of this extraordinary school! We also got a glimpse of something truly unique: the students’ sign language. I was asked to write down any word, and one student read it, acted it out in their signs, and the rest had to guess. To our surprise, they got it right almost instantly! It was such a fun and fascinating activity. Sandip ji also showed us their collection of chess books and explained how he and his colleagues use them to teach. I never imagined a 'Question paper' on chess, but Sandip ji showed me the ones he specially created for his students. They conduct many simple but fun activities to build a strong foundation in the game. As he explained everything, I could see the thought and care behind every single detail at the school. Honestly, I was completely blown away!

A classroom full of curious learners! | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

Then we entered Sandip ji’s office and were absolutely a-m-a-z-e-d. I already knew that his students had won many prizes, but seeing the shelves overflowing with trophies and medals was something else entirely. It felt like every inch of that room told a story of their hard work and success!

The number of prizes almost matches the number of students in this school! Four years ago, would Sandip ji have imagined that his simple decision to teach chess would have such an impact? | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

When we first wrote about this school back in March, there wasn’t a single rated player among the students. Today, just a few months later, they have six! It’s incredible to see how dedication, practice, and Sandip ji’s guidance have transformed their love for chess into real achievement!

The rated players of this school. (L to R: Rohit Chauhan, Parth Chauhan, Yashpal Chauhan, Ashvin Chauhan, Rahul Chauhan). They showed what’s possible. They gave hope to their fellow students. | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

Ramkishan Chauhan, the sixth-rated player of the village! | Photo: Sandip Upadhyay

Around 130 students were a part of this camp. Of course, no camp is complete without the worksheets! Here are some glimpses of the students diving into them…

One of the things that impressed me most during this camp was how sincerely the students worked on their sheets. Every time I walked around, I expected to hear some chaos, but instead, there was pin-drop silence. Everyone was completely focused on solving their sheets! | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

The best part was seeing them work together on the tough puzzles. | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

These are some of the strongest players from the school. They have shown incredible dedication, focus, and love for the game during the camp. They could very well become the village’s next rated players! | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

Some students formed a small group to solve the sheets together... | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

... while some solved a single sheet together. | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

Nothing else mattered in that moment, just the sheet in front of them. | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

I loved this girl's focus! She sat quietly by herself, fully absorbed in solving sheets! | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

DND mode on! | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

So focused, the world around didn’t exist! | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

Love how seriously the little kids were listening! | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

During our classroom visits, we asked for a puzzle solution, and many hands went up! We chose a few to share their answers. | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

Everyone in their school made sure that we didn't face any issues. When we arrived on day two, we saw all the sheets neatly arranged. Stones and a wooden stick were used as paperweights. We don’t have a photo of it, but here is one that shows their thoughtfulness. | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

Between solving the sheets, they also played some games. | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

Sandip Upadhyay, with his daughter Harvi, who is a very strong player. It was fun playing a few games with her. She even beat me a couple of times. | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

If you meet me during our Big Chess Camp at Phoenix Marketcity Mall, you would see me either distributing sheets or playing games… but this camp made me a sheet-correcting ninja! | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

Correcting so many sheets did get tiring at times, but with Hetvi, Henvi, and Harvi around, it turned into something fun. | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

You can correct the sheets well only if you truly grasp the concept. | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

Sometimes, while explaining a solution to the students, it was amazing to see them coming up with ideas I hadn’t considered. | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

Solving puzzles is easier when you set up the positions in front of you. It helps you understand better. | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

Before class every day, Sandip ji tells motivational stories to his students. This one was in Gujarati, but I understood some of it! His stories are always about becoming a better human being. | Photo: Rasika Ratnaparkhi

To absorb wisdom, your mind needs to calm down! | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

On the second day, we were served a simple yet delicious meal made on a traditional stove. Food really tastes better when cooked the old-fashioned way! The people who cooked it have two grandchildren studying at this school. These trophies belong to their grandson, Yashpal Chauhan, who is the highest-rated player in the school. | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

The story of this school reached more and more people. During and around the camp days, many reporters and media outlets visited the school to cover the inspiring work happening there. I even got the opportunity to share their story on DD National, which was a truly special moment! | Photo: Sandip Upadhyay

This camp gave me something priceless: New friends! They even gifted me a beautiful pen. | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

One of the students made this for me, and it’s honestly the most beautiful bouquet I have ever seen. What touched me even more was the love and effort behind it! | Photo: Rasika Ratnaparkhi

Unfortunately, we couldn’t get a photo with all the players, but here’s a wonderful group photo with everyone who was there after the camp. | Photo: Ashwin Patel

This camp made me realise the power of one person. We often underestimate what a single individual can do. But here was proof. One teacher, in one small village, had built something extraordinary with nothing but belief and effort. When we think about change, we often imagine big movements or powerful leaders. But here, it all began with one man’s vision. Being a teacher, Sandip Upadhyay decided to give his students more than textbook knowledge; he gave them a purpose. Today, chess is a hope for these children.

"I found my purpose. Now I want to help my students find their purpose," Sandip ji told me. | Photo: Neeraj Dwivedi

Before knowing this story, if someone had asked me to picture chess in a village school, I probably wouldn’t have imagined this. I would have imagined kids running around in open grounds, classrooms with bare walls, and a simple routine. Chess wouldn’t even enter that picture. But this… a chessboard painted on a wall, nearly a hundred prizes, plenty of chessbaords in school, all the students knowing chess - it felt surreal. Chess has become an important part of their life. The whole experience left me with a sense of awe!

We learned so much from this camp, but more than that, just talking to Sandip ji felt like a masterclass. He is so rich in his knowledge. Ask him anything, and he will speak with such passion that you can’t help but learn something valuable.

"Knowledge is not power; implementation of knowledge is power." - What I learned from Sandip ji.

He didn’t have to teach these children chess. He didn’t have to spend his own money or go out of his way. He simply saw that he could make a difference, and he did. From taking students to tournaments to gathering resources, he gave them opportunities that no one else had. Today, six of his students even have their expenses covered by the state, all because of his dedication. Seeing his example, the other children are inspired to dream bigger, work harder, and follow in his footsteps. This was the magic that reminded us how much one person can change the world!

If you want to support this initiative, you can contact Sandip Upadhyay on his number +91 99042 10102 or his facebook page.

Important link

Who is Sandip Upadhyay?

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