The All India Chess Federation (AICF), the central administrative body for chess in India, has announced an INR 65 crore budget.
This ambitious initiative, spearheaded by AICF President Nitin Narang, aims to propel chess in India to new heights.
The budget focuses on a multi-pronged approach to strengthen the “Bharatiya Chess” ecosystem. It allocates resources for both established and aspiring players. A dedicated chess development fund will identify and nurture talent at the grassroots level, fostering future chess champions for India.
Additionally, the AICF plans to introduce two-year contracts for national-level players, from U-7 to U-19 age groups. These contracts will disburse funds ranging from INR 20,000 to INR 50,000 to players via Direct Benefit Transfer under the relevant categories, offering financial stability to promising talents.
The state chess associations will also benefit from this initiative. The AICF pledged financial aid in a staggered format: INR 12,50,000 in year one, INR 2,50,000 in year two, and INR 15,00,000 in year three, totalling INR 30 lakh over three years. This will bolster chess activities at the state level.
The initiative also emphasizes recognizing and rewarding excellence in chess. The AICF will allocate cash awards to the top 10 male and female Indian players based on their FIDE rankings under the “Cash Rewards for Top 20 Chess Players” program. The top five male and female players will each receive INR 25,00,000, while the players ranked 6th to 10th will each be awarded INR 12,50,000.
The AICF is committed to enhancing inclusivity and opportunity in chess for women. They aim to expand the Smart Girl Program with a minimum of 50 annual events, each supported by an INR 1,00,000 grant. Further reinforcing this commitment is a 33% reservation for women in several key areas.
Remarking on the significant rollout of the initiatives, Mr. Narang, stated, “We are setting up a chess development fund to ensure that we empower the grassroots level players and bring them to a global level of excellence. My mission is to bring chess to every household, with the motto ‘Ghar Ghar Chess – Har Ghar Chess’. We will also support state associations for three years with aid up to INR 15 lakhs and initiate national-level player contracts for 42 players with a budget outlay of 2 crores across age groups under AICF Pro while ushering in an India-specific player ranking system.
“The top 20 FIDE-rated players’ would get annual contracts of INR 25,00,000 and INR 12,50,000 per annum with a total outlay of 4 crores. We want chess to be played in every household across generations, from the youth to senior citizens, with a big focus on including women. I aspire to see India emerge as a nation of grandmasters.”
This substantial investment by the AICF signifies a positive step forward for Indian chess. The comprehensive budget aims to strengthen the entire chess ecosystem, from aspiring youngsters to seasoned professionals. With a focus on both development and competitive excellence, the initiative has the potential to solidify India’s position as a global chess powerhouse.