In a celebration of India’s storied chess legacy, three rising stars from Rajasthan—FIDE-rated players Alokik Maheshwari, Aradhya Upadhyay, and Hardik Shah—were honored to meet with distinguished industrialist and long-time chess patron Mr. L.N. Jhunjhunwala. Accompanied by their coach, Mr. Prakash Parashar, the young athletes made the pilgrimage to Mr. Jhunjhunwala’s New Delhi residence on June 9, following their participation in the Delhi International Open Grandmasters Tournament at Tivoli Gardens, Chhatarpur.
All three competitors are students of the Vivekananda Kendra School in Hurda, Rajasthan—one of four institutions established by Mr. Jhunjhunwala to deliver high-quality education and holistic development in the rural heartlands of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The gathering not only lauded their recent achievements but also underscored the profound inspiration they draw from Mr. Jhunjhunwala’s decades-long dedication to nurturing Indian chess.
Mr. Jhunjhunwala’s far-sighted vision transformed a personal passion into a national movement. His efforts elevated chess beyond mere sport, positioning it as a vehicle for fostering strategic thinking, discipline, and mental resilience—life skills that transcend the 64 squares of the board. By bridging education and culture, he extended chess’s reach into diverse communities across the country.
A cornerstone of India’s modern chess infrastructure, Mr. Jhunjhunwala founded the National Chess Trust of India in 1973. His leadership facilitated the country’s inaugural Grandmasters Tournament in 1982, cementing India’s presence on the global chess stage. He championed the inclusion of chess in school curricula and established the Botvinnik Chess Academy, where luminaries such as Viswanathan Anand and Abhijeet Gupta honed their talent.
Beyond chess, Mr. Jhunjhunwala championed a broad spectrum of sports to promote students’ physical and mental growth, supporting disciplines including karate, archery, shooting, yoga, and athletics. This holistic approach became a model for integrating athletics into educational development.
Further amplifying his impact, he launched India’s first dedicated chess magazine, Chess India, and fostered international collaborations that broke chess out of its niche in a cricket-dominated nation. His pioneering work instilled the belief that Indian players could excel on the world stage—an ethos that continues to drive the country’s champions today.
Leave a Reply