Inaugural DNH Buddhibal Pratiyogita Gets Underway In Dadra & Nagar Haveli

Four Young Chess Players Build a Grassroots Chess Ecosystem with the Inaugural DNH Buddhibal Pratiyogita

Three years ago, four young chess players—Aaditya Anand, Nehan Mehta, Krish Kapur, and Vivaan Verma—founded Chess4Change with a simple belief: every child, regardless of background, should have the opportunity to learn, compete, and grow through chess.

That vision came to life through the DNH Buddhibal Pratiyogita 2026, the first inter-school team chess championship for government schools in Dadra & Nagar Haveli, created specifically for rural and tribal students.

The tournament was the culmination of six months of grassroots work, during which Chess4Change partnered with 12 government schools, providing regular coaching and mentorship. The championship brought together 103 students, many of whom were participating in an organised chess tournament for the first time.

Organised in partnership with the Animedh Charitable Trust, National Instructor Vikram Mishra, the Dadra & Nagar Haveli Chess Association, and the Department of Education, the event was conducted across 50 boards using digital clocks, certified arbiters, and a professionally managed format.

To make the initiative possible, the student founders led a crowdfunding campaign that united more than 90 supporters, raising ₹2.9 lakh against an initial target of ₹1.4 lakh. The funds will now support a long-term coaching programme combining online and in-person instruction across participating schools.

The project also received support from ChessBase India and Gift of Chess, which helped provide chess equipment to participating schools, ensuring that students can continue learning and practising beyond the tournament.

The event coincided with the third anniversary of Chess4Change, which has impacted more than 1,000 children across 20+ schools through coaching programmes, workshops, chess-set distribution drives, and community outreach initiatives.

"Talent is everywhere; opportunity isn't. Through Chess4Change, we're trying to make sure that more children get the chance to discover what they're capable of and how far they can go," said Krish Kapur, Co-Founder of Chess4Change.

Chess4Change now plans to expand coaching, train local volunteers, conduct regular inter-school competitions, and establish the DNH Buddhibal Pratiyogita as an annual event, helping build a sustainable grassroots chess ecosystem in the region.