Nitin Narang, the recently elected President of the All-India Chess Federation (AICF), has announced a massive budget of INR 65 crore (nearly 8 million USD) for the development of chess in India.
The key initiatives are aimed at strengthening the Indian chess ecosystem by providing financial and institutional support for pro as well as grassroots-level players. The launch of programs such as the AICF Pro for national-level players and AICF Popular will make the vision of “Har Ghar Chess” a reality across households.
AICF will also set up its own National Chess Arena (NCA) for elite-level training and develop a national chess rating system independent from FIDE.
Commenting on the initiatives, Narang said, “Players are at the heart of chess, and many have to compromise on their passion due to the lack of funds, institutional support, and opportunities. I am committed to making every player’s dream a reality through myriad initiatives rolled out today, in our INR 65 cr budget.
The AICF will introduce two-year contracts for national-level players, from U-7 to U-19 age groups, disbursing funds ranging from Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 50,000 to players via Direct Benefit Transfer, under the relevant categories. The players will promote chess through grassroots initiatives like ‘Meet the Champions’ in educational institutions.
Cash Rewards for Top 20 Chess Players to recognize and reward excellence in chess, allocating cash awards to the top 10 male and female Bharatiya players based on their FIDE rankings. 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.
Women In Chess aims to enhance inclusivity and opportunity in chess for women, expanding the Smart Girl Program with a minimum of 50 annual events, each supported by a 100,000 grant.
Supporting State Associations financially, the AICF will commit across three years — Year 1: 12,50,000; Year 2: 12,50,000; Year 3: 15,00,000 — with assistance allocated for prize money, chess development activities, and establishing offices.
