By Kavita Mistry 
In a landmark move to strengthen India’s chess ecosystem and invest in the next generation of champions, Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Limited (Chola) is set to launch Chola Chess, a CSR initiative aimed at identifying and nurturing young chess talent across the country. The official unveiling will take place today (July 9, 2025) at the Chola Chess Centre in Chennai, with Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand to deliver the keynote address.
In collaboration with Chess Gurukul, the initiative seeks to provide a structured platform for early-stage talent development, particularly among children showing promise at the grassroots level. The event will also feature exhibition matches between top Indian Grandmasters, including R Praggnanandhaa, Aravindh Chidambaram, Pranesh, and Karthikeyan Murali.
At the heart of the Chola Chess programme is a simple but powerful idea: to catch the talent young and guide it with the best available resources. The platform, led by Grandmaster RB Ramesh, will combine elite mentorship, strategic training, and mental conditioning to help young players develop both on and off the board.
Unlike conventional coaching models, Chola Chess is envisioned as a comprehensive ecosystem — not just focusing on game tactics but also on long-term growth, performance analytics, and tournament preparedness. A standout feature of the initiative will be its hybrid delivery model: the to-be launched digital platform CholaChess.com will ensure players from across the country, including rural areas, can access high-quality mentorship regardless of geography.
“With Chola Chess, we are building an ecosystem where discipline, resilience, and strategic thinking are nurtured from a young age,” said GM RB Ramesh, Chief Mentor. “This platform will help shape not just champions, but also confident, thinking individuals.”
India is currently witnessing an unprecedented wave of chess enthusiasm, with young prodigies achieving global recognition and chess being increasingly included in school curricula and educational programmes. However, access to elite mentorship and structured training remains a privilege for only a few.
Chola Chess enters the scene at a time when the need for inclusive and high-quality chess infrastructure has never been more urgent. The programme promises to bridge critical gaps — particularly for underrepresented and financially constrained talent — and provide a level playing field for serious learners nationwide.
Furthermore, in an evolving CSR landscape, the initiative stands out for its focus on measurable, long-term outcomes. Rather than a short-term engagement, Chola Chess represents a sustained commitment to youth development, using chess as a vehicle for teaching focus, strategy, and critical life skills.
Launch Event Details
The launch event will take place on July 9, 2025, in Chennai and will be livestreamed on Cholamandalam’s official YouTube channel. Attendance is by invitation only, with limited guests, but viewers across India can join online to witness the official unveiling, live matches, and thought leadership from some of India’s most respected chess minds.