Maharashtra emerged as the winner, scoring 12 match points in the Under-19 Girls’ Chess Championship of the 69th National School Games at Greenwood High International School, Bengaluru. Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) followed as first runner-up with 10 match points, while the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) scored nine match points to claim the second runner-up title.
In the Under-19 Boys’ section, CBSE emerged as the Champion with 10 match points, securing the top position after a tie-break. Maharashtra claimed the 1st Runner-up title with 10 match points, while Tamil Nadu finished as the second runner-up with nine match points.
A total of 32 units (64 teams of boys & girls), with over 300 students from across the country, participated in the event, representing State and Union Territory Directorates of Education as well as major national school boards, including the CBSE, CISCE, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), and the Indian Public Schools Conference (IPSC) and International Board School Sports Organization (IBSSO.) The team championship followed the Swiss League format, with all teams competing across six rounds.
The championship witnessed strong participation from highly accomplished titled players across both categories. Of the 155 boys competing, an impressive 114 were FIDE-rated players, and out of the 157 female registrants, 81 were FIDE-rated players, reflecting the high calibre and competitive strength of the field.
In the Boys’ division, International Master Daaevik Wadhawan (FIDE Rating 2409) and International Master Sahib Singh (2376), both from Delhi, along with FIDE Master Gaurang Pankaj Bagwe (2308) from Maharashtra and FIDE Master Swarna Nihal (2243), were the prominent title players.
In the Girls’ category, Women FIDE Master Amulya Guruprasad (2113) and Women Candidate Master R. Kashthuri Bhai (1887), both representing CBSE, were the title players.
Niru Agarwal, Managing Trustee, Greenwood High International School, said, “We are pleased to host this championship and provide a platform for young players to showcase their abilities. Events like these highlight the importance of sports in students’ overall growth, and we remain committed to supporting opportunities that encourage learning, discipline, and development.”
The prize distribution ceremony was graced by Grandmaster Mr. Tej Kumar – India’s 50th and Karnataka’s 1st Grandmaster The event was also attended Mr. Arnav Kumar Shaw – Manager, CISCE Sports & Games, and Ms. Tripti Agrawal – Field Officer, SGFI, alongside representatives from Greenwood High International School. The championship concluded with outstanding displays of strategy and sportsmanship, reflecting a continued commitment to nurturing talent across academics, sports, and co-curricular pursuits.
