How Chola Chess is making an impact on Indian chess

by Rasika Ratnaparkhi - 03/04/2026

Chola Chess was launched in July 2025 with a clear vision to nurture young talent in India. Even before its launch, the initiative had already begun conducting training camps from January 2025. Since then, it has conducted 100 camps and trained over 1300 players. It provides a space for promising players to train under experienced coaches. On 1st April, they conducted their 100th camp, marking an important milestone in their journey. Read the article to know how Chola Chess is making a difference. Photos: Chola Chess

Space for India's top chess players

If you have been following Indian chess closely, you might have started hearing the name Chola Chess more and more often. And if you haven’t yet, now is a good time to get familiar with it. It is an initiative by Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Limited, along with Chess Gurukul, led by GM R.B. Ramesh and WGM Aarthie Ramaswamy. The academy's goal is to identify and nurture promising young chess players in India. They are trying to provide the right guidance, environment, and support to talented players in India. The academy is based in Chennai and is working towards becoming a world-class training centre for aspiring players.

What makes Chola Chess different?

First, the trainers focus on players who are already showing strong potential and give them the kind of training that can actually move the needle. Second, it is not limited to chess alone. Along with game preparation, players are also introduced to fitness routines and disciplined schedules. After all, modern chess is as much about stamina and mindset as it is about moves on the board. Third, the program is being run consistently and at scale. And finally, and perhaps most importantly, all of this is provided completely free of cost! Everyone knows how costly it is to get access to high-quality training. It's great how Chola Chess has removed this hurdle entirely.

Chola Chess Academy tour by IM Sagar Shah. | Video: ChessBase India

Testimonials from some of the participants of the Chola Chess camp. | Video: ChessBase India

What has Chola Chess done so far?

This is where it starts to get impressive. From January 2025 to March 2026, Chola Chess has conducted 99 camps and trained over 1300 players! A quick look at the numbers gives a clear picture of how consistently these camps have been conducted:

Month/ Year	No of Camps	No of Participants
Jan 2025	6	93
Feb 2025	8	104
Mar 2025	5	76
Apr 2025	6	73
May 2025	8	85
Jun 2025	6	58
Jul 2025	6	70
Aug 2025	5	71
Sep 2025	7	104
Oct 2025	11	160
Nov 2025	6	69
Dec 2025	6	56
Jan 2026	5	80
Feb 2026	6	83
Mar 2026	8	118
Total	99	1300

Can you spot the familiar face?

Some well-known players were a part of these camps. See if you can spot them!

Clue: She became the National U-7 Girls Champion in 2023.

Clue: She became the first Indian woman to win an individual gold at the Chess Olympiad.

Clue: These two players were part of India’s gold medal-winning team at the 2024 Chess Olympiad.

Clue: She is the first Woman International Master from North East India.

What the players had to say

We spoke to a few players associated with the camp. Here is what they had to say:

Soumya Swaminathan

"The Chola Chess Academy is an Extraordinary Initiative. Good quality coaching is usually both expensive and inaccessible to most players. Chola has solved this issue for a wide range of players - from 7 year Olds to Grandmasters! Personally I don't think I ever received Grandmaster training on such a continuous basis as I did in the last 1 year - thanks to our camps at the Academy ! All the coaches have been so dedicated. Their honest, varied insights on chess improvement have helped me put in more effort into my game. My results have improved in the last few tournaments I played. Like Ramesh sir says - Intensive effort in training will help us put in similar effort during a game as well! Unavailability of a chess group or regular training partners was another issue I faced after moving to Mumbai a few years ago. Finding a group of motivated players through the Chola camps has helped me deal with this issue really well ! I love being in the Chess atmosphere here at the academy and try to attend the camps as often as possible. Big thanks to the effort and good intent put in by the Cholamandalam group, Ramesh sir and Arthie akka. I am really grateful for the opportunity."

Adhiban Baskaran

"Personally, I feel it is one of the best things that has happened to Chess in recent times. I am so happy and honored to be part of the Chola Chess Project. I have been part of many offline and online camps since last year. Coaching has always been an expensive affair and I am glad to see that the people behind Chola Chess have managed to solve them. I sincerely believe they will be able to boost the wave of players trying to reach the top!

Tania Sachdev

"Congratulations to Chhola Chess Academy on reaching 100 camps. It’s a huge milestone. I have had the chance to be part of both their online and in-person camps and the level of structure, care and professionalism they bring across so many students and levels is so impressive. From their very first camp, what stood out to me is the intent behind it. Ramesh’s vision is that if you are willing to work hard and be honest with your effort, it doesn’t matter where you are from; you deserve access to the best training. And that goes beyond producing strong players; it’s about building the right mindset towards the game. I have seen it and experienced it. What they have built strengthens the entire Indian chess ecosystem. Congratulations once again to Chola and the team and I am sure this is one of the many milestones."

Chola Chess first GM norm tournament

Chola Chess recently organised the first Chola Chess International GM Norm Round Robin Tournament 2026 in February this year. It was held from 3rd to 11th February in Chennai. The tournament was designed specifically to help players achieve Grandmaster norms.

It featured a strong field of 10 players, including International Masters from India and Grandmasters from abroad. | Photo: Himank Ghosh

No.	Title	Name	FideID	FED	Rtg
1	IM	Aronyak, Ghosh	25072846	IND	2533
2	IM	Vaz, Ethan	25940783	IND	2518
3	GM	Delgado Ramirez, Neuris	3503631	PAR	2511
4	GM	Suleymenov, Alisher	13707833	KAZ	2500
5	GM	Girel, Joseph	36033561	FRA	2499
6	GM	Boyer, Mahel	45102422	FRA	2486
7	IM	Mayank, Chakraborty	25659766	IND	2473
8	IM	Harsh, Suresh	45018464	IND	2443
9	IM	Audi, Ameya	25034430	IND	2418
10	IM	Borgaonkar, Akshay	25639110	IND	2381

Participants of the Chola Chess GM Norm Round Robin Tournament.

This was a good initiative for Indian chess. Because norm events are usually held outside India. By bringing this tournament to Chennai, Chola Chess created a valuable opportunity for Indian players to compete at a high level without needing to travel abroad.

Alisher Suleymenov from Kazakhstan won the tournament with 6/9 score. | Photo: Chola Chess

The next milestone

1st April 2026 marked the 100th camp for Chola Chess. The journey continues with four more camps planned until April 5, taking the total to 104.

Players fully immersed in the session!

Guidance from a coach who has shaped some of India’s best players.

Aarthie Ramaswamy, who is closely involved in the program, engaging with the players and sharing her insights.

Players and coaches, all part of the Chola Chess camp experience.

Along with chess, physical training is also a key part of the program.

What the team had to say

R B Ramesh

Chola Chess initiative was brought to reality by Grandmaster RB Ramesh and Aarthie Ramaswamy.

"It is heartening to see that the Chola Chess project, which started in January 2025, has grown so strongly and has reached an impressive milestone of 100 camps in such a short period of time. Through Chola chess, we aim to connect deserving players who need quality training with top coaches in India and abroad. Most of our players have shown good improvement in this period and are growing from strength to strength. Our new initiative to organise tournaments to provide access to good playing conditions and an opportunity to make the coveted Grand Master and International Master norms within India has also begun with the completion of the first closed GM norm tournament in February at our premises. We would like to thank our supporters, volunteers, staff, everyone in our team, the players and their parents for their trust in us."

Kanika Subbiah

The initiative is led by Mrs. Kanika Subbiah and Mr. Vellayan Subbiah.

"In chess, 100 is a big number. Not even 1% of games make it to the 100th move. If they do, it usually means one thing: both players showed resilience. They stayed in the game. And that’s what the Chola Chess CSR journey is about. Not just 100 camps, but 100 times showing up, 100 steps forward. What began as a small effort 15 months ago has grown into 100 camps of opportunity, each one opening doors for young talent to believe in their potential and shape their own path. Our 100th camp marks not just scale, but sustained impact, bringing the discipline and power of chess to some of India’s most promising young minds. Chola Chess has so much more in store in its second year: camps complete with nutrition and physical fitness, norm tournaments, and financial support to the best players."

How these 4 individuals came together to launch the Chola Chess initiative. | Video: ChessBase India

Indian chess is growing rapidly, and we are seeing new talents emerge every year. But for that growth to sustain, players need access to the right training, exposure, and support at an early stage. Initiatives like Chola Chess are helping bridge that gap. We hope this kind of support continues to reach more players across the country!

Special Giveaway!

To celebrate this achievement, Chola Chess is hosting an exciting giveaway!

How to participate:

Follow the @chola_chess Instagram account
Answer: “What is Checkmate?” in the comment section of our social media posts. (Instagram, Facebook and Twitter)
The most creative answers will win exclusive Chola Chess merchandise signed by Grandmasters!

Note: This contest ends on 5th April, so hurry up!