A ₹50,000 scholarship from Venkat Rangan will support Indian chess player Daakshin Arun as he works toward the International Master title and continues his Grandmaster ambitions. The scholarship reflects the purpose of HelpChess Foundation: helping talented players meet the costs that can stand between them and the next step in their chess careers.
Support for players across India
HelpChess Foundation, the charitable initiative of ChessBase India, raises funds to support chess players who need financial assistance for training and tournaments.
"Because of you, someone's burden is lighter" is something that is embodied by HelpChess Foundation. Every penny donated goes towards giving somebody the privilege of exposure and opportunity, to give them a better shot at their future and to give them an avenue to express their talent.
During the financial year 2025-26, the HelpChess Foundation received contributions amounting to Rs. 80,83,155 through 936 donations.
Seeing the Next Generation
Venkat Rangan is a Silicon Valley engineer, technology entrepreneur, and executive who co-founded Clearwell Systems and Clari. He studied mechanical engineering at IIT Madras and computer science at the University of Miami, and now advises startups and mentors founders through Rangan Logic.
Chess has remained a lifelong interest alongside his technology career. He often visited Tal Chess Club during his college days, and he ran into an 11-year-old Viswanathan Anand. Rangan says that even then, he remembers being stunned by Anand's talent. Imagine running into the legend that would change the entire course of Indian chess for the generations to come, on a random day.
Following Indian chess through Chessbase India's livestreams introduced him to the HelpChess Foundation and its support for young players. As he kept learning more and more about the initiative, he was surprised by its practical support for promising players. He realised that competing at a high level can involve high costs, including coaching and travel to international tournaments. He made his first contribution of ₹50,000 as the Venkat Rangan Scholarship in 2023. Contributors who donate more than ₹50,000 are termed "Big Believers", and we invite them to exciting Simuls with Grandmasters and International Masters.
Venkat was invited to an online Simul and played against D. Gukesh, which rekindled his belief in young Indian players.
Why He Chose to Give
For Venkat, giving back means expanding opportunity. He believes professional success comes from hard work and the opportunities he receives along the way. He says supporting young players can reduce barriers so talent and dedication have more room to determine what comes next. So, he donated ₹50,000 to HelpChess in order support Daakshin Arun.
The path to the Grandmaster title requires sustained preparation and experience in strong tournaments. For some players, the costs of competitive chess make it unrealistic for them to even pursue the sport at all. Financial help with training and travel costs can make it easier for players to continue pursuing that goal. Rangan praised Daakshin's progress.
"Play with courage, enjoy every battle on the board, and keep pushing forward - we are all rooting for you on your journey to the GM Title." - Venkat Rangan
His message to others who are considering supporting young players in the future is that even a modest contribution can help pay for coaching, a training camp, or tournament travel.
Daakshin Arun’s Chess Journey
Born in 2009, Daakshin Arun is a FIDE Master from Tamil Nadu. He started his coaching at Aaron's Academy under IM Manuel Aaron, and for the past four years he has been training at Chola Chess Academy under the guidance of GM R B Ramesh, WGM Aarthie Ramaswamy and M. Kunal.
He won the 2013 National U-13 Chess Championship and crossed 2400 rating that same year. He earned his first Grandmaster norm at the Rilton Cup in 2026. In June 2026, he scored his second International Master norm at the Chola Chess tournament, finishing with 6/9 points. Daakshin needed a win in the last round and secured it with the black pieces. White got an active, space-grabbing position with the early e5 and h-pawn push, but Black traded pieces and steered the game into an endgame where those advances became targets.
Daakshin has been sponsored by ChessBase India before because of his immense talent and grit. In 2021, the YouTube Membership funds from the ChessBase India Channel went towards supporting him in his journey. We hope this scholarship will support him in his chess journey and help him move closer to achieving his goals.
