Why Tamil Nadu is India’s chess powerhouse
In its newest 2025 finances, the state has introduced a Rs 562 crore initiative to combine chess into the varsity curriculum to offer it an extra enhance. The coverage seeks to leverage a recreation that’s low on infrastructural wants and excessive on mind train to offer cognitive advantages to schoolchildren.
One wonders, might the success of chess among the many youngsters of the state even have one thing to do with the social conservatism of Chennai? Privileging tutorial efficiency over extracurricular actions like sports activities, dad and mom are comfy with their youngsters taking on chess, which is seen as a ‘brainy’ curiosity. Many really feel that the sport helps them focus and would assist them to do (even) higher in research. It doesn’t damage that chess is a rewarding profession when it comes to each cash and fame: with good prize cash, and different rewards.
When the Indian group received the Olympiad final yr, it was handled to a money prize of Rs 3.2 crore. On successful the world championship, Gukesh took house $1.5 million (Rs 12.85 crore). He was additionally gifted a Mercedes automobile whereas being nonetheless too younger to use for a driving licence!
There may be the added aura of public recognition. Gamers like Pragg and Gukesh have grow to be family names, an honour earlier reserved just for India’s star cricketers. As coach Ramesh places it, “A chess participant changing into a public determine is an efficient factor. It’s good for the sport… we’re seeing many kids taking to chess now.” Moreover, their simplicity could be very interesting, particularly to folks and educators, who take into account them worthy function fashions for the younger.
The GOAT (best of all time) from Norway, former world champion Magnus Carlsen, summed it up completely when requested about his presence in Chennai for the 2022 Chess Olympiad. “Chennai is the most popular hub of chess… so simply to be right here and be part of the chess celebration is a motive in itself.”
And from that hottest hub comes the most popular stuff. Rasam or no rasam, and with apologies to Emanuel Lasker (longest reigning champion of the world), it’s clear that when Chennai sees transfer, it appears for a greater one.
