The specialised chess training programme launched last year under the District Education Empowerment Programme (DEEP) in Nagapattinam, in partnership with Chess Bishop LLP, has begun to deliver tangible results, with government schoolchildren now competing at the State and national levels.

Over the past 10 months, eight students have secured official FIDE ratings -- the international chess ranking system maintained by the World Chess Federation -- while 12 others have taken part in the Tamil Nadu State Chess Championships.

Sources in DEEP said the progress over this period showed that the district's emerging chess ecosystem was taking root, encouraging more students to aspire to national and international play. As part of the initiative, three internal tournaments were held to familiarise participants with the rules and formats of FIDE-rated events while online classes and intensive five-day training camps strengthened the practice. Promising players were sponsored tournaments in Madurai and Assam, providing them with competitive exposure.

The initiative was first announced in December 2024 when the district administration under Collector P. Akash rolled out structured training across all six blocks. About 150 students, selected from government schools with prior chess exposure, were provided with chess kits, digital resources, and a structured training calendar.

Training began with two or three months of offline coaching before moving to digital learning. Students accessed Sigaram64, an AI-powered platform, to analyse their strengths and weaknesses. At the competitive level, 31 students qualified through the zonal Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) tournament, with nine securing podium finishes at the district stage and advancing to State-level contests.

Chess Bishop LLP, founded by S.A. Surya Kumar and K. Aishwarya, implemented the programme with support from the State's S2G startup initiative.

Mr. Surya Kumar said poor internet access remained a hurdle. "Around 80% of students actively use the platform, but consistent digital access is still a challenge. The students' instinct and intellect are strong, but technical barriers slow their progress," he added.

For many participants, the initiative has been transformative. I. Sabarinathan, a Class 9 student of VHS Sattiyakudi and among the district's top players, described the training as "refreshing" and said it had given him a renewed interest in attending school. He expressed gratitude to the district administration for creating this opportunity.

Nagapattinam district administration's initiative yields FIDE-rated players, State winners in chess