News Arena Network - New Delhi - UPDATED: June 25, 2025, 09:50 PM - 2 min read
Indian chess players that created buzz.
In an epoch-making decision, the All India Chess Federation (AICF) has announced the launch of Top National Players Stipend Scheme (TNPSS), a ground-breaking financial support initiative set to revolutionise the landscape of chess development in the nation.
This dream project, passionately championed by AICF President Nitin Narang, marks an unprecedented commitment to nurturing the burgeoning chess prodigies of India from the grassroots level. "This is more than just a scheme. It shows how deeply we believe in the promise of every young chess player in Bharat," said AICF President Nitin Narang.
President of All India Chess Federation.
"For the first time in our history, we are directly investing in the future of our young chess prodigies, and providing them with the sustained financial bedrock they need to transform their talent into triumph. This is more than a token; it's a demonstration of our profound support and a catalyst for their dreams," he added.
For the first time in the history of Indian Chess, quarterly stipends ranging from ₹60,000 to ₹1,50,000, totalling ₹42,30,000 for the first quarter of 2025, have been disbursed to 42 top players across the U-7 to U-19 categories (both open and girls), based on their… pic.twitter.com/MF5594cbkb
In a move echoing the Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision of empowering athletes at grassroots level, TNPSS will immediately dispatch its first quarterly stipends, ranging from a substantial ₹60,000 to an impressive ₹1,50,000, directly into the accounts of top young chess players in the country. A total of ₹42, 30,000 has been disbursed for the months of April to June of the current financial year, which will reach deserving players across the Under-7 to Under-19 categories, both open and girls, based on their stellar performances in last year's nationals.
President Narang explained the idea behind TNPSS, "For too long, financial constraints have cast a shadow over the aspirations of our chess players. The demands of travel, training and international competition often forces players to abandon their passion, which is a profound loss for our nation. TNPSS is our definitive answer to these challenges, a bold stride towards a player-centric policy that empowers our youth to focus solely on honing their skills and conquering the chessboard."
This pioneering initiative is designed to provide robust financial assistance to promising players from the nationals’ circuit for a critical period of two years. This invaluable support will significantly alleviate the burden of training and global competition expenses, allowing young players to immerse themselves fully in their game and pursue excellence on the world stage without economic hardship.
As many as 42 top-ranked players, based on their performances at national level last year, will be the first beneficiaries of this visionary scheme, representing the pinnacle of talent across the U-7, U-9, U-11, U-13, U-15, U-17 and U-19 age categories.
The quarterly stipends are structured to reflect their age and potential, ranging from ₹60,000 for Under-7 to a significant ₹1, 50,000 for Under-19, underscoring the AICF's comprehensive commitment. The TNPSS boasts of an ambitious budgetary outlay of ₹6,15,60,000, a clear signal of AICF's long-term strategic investment in the future of Indian chess.
The inaugural beneficiaries of the Top National Players Stipend Scheme include:
This landmark initiative is the cornerstone of AICF’s long-term vision to forge a robust, structured and inclusive ecosystem for chess across the country. By providing direct financial assistance to the most promising talents, the AICF is ensuring that young players receive every conceivable support to excel on both national and international stages, solidifying India’s position as a global chess powerhouse.
"Bharat has not merely risen; we are now a dominant force, a chess superpower," said Narang. TNPSS is more than an administrative step. It's a bold move by AICF to back a new generation of financially empowered, world-class chess players so that the future of ‘Bhartiya’ chess shines brighter than ever.
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