chessbase india logo

64 Squares backed by Pravaha and MGD1 invest Rs.1 crore (US$ 117k) to power Indian women's chess

by Sagar Shah - 25/04/2025

The 64 Squares Initiative, a joint effort by the Pravaha Foundation and MGD1, is giving a boost to some of India's brightest young women chess players. The 2025 cohort includes IM Vantika Agrawal, WIM Sarayu Velpula, WIM Sahithi Varshini, Charvi Anilkumar and Shubhi Gupta. With a ₹1 crore fellowship, the program covers everything from training to tournament expenses, helping these players reach their full potential. The initiative has already seen players like Vantika achieve incredible success, and it continues to help young women break barriers and make their mark in chess. Read the article to know more.

Vantika, Sarayu, Sahithi, Charvi and Shubhi receive support from 64 Squares

Five girls who will be supported with an amount of Rs.1 crore by the 64 squares initiative - (clockwise from top left): Vantika Agrawal (2406), Sarayu Velpula (2302), Charvi Anilkumar (2172), Sahithi Varshini (2272) and Shubhi Gupta (2067)

64 Squares, a joint initiative of Hyderabad-based Pravaha Foundation and Chess Startup, MGD1, is working to grow the stature of women’s chess in India. The 2025 cohort features a fellowship grant worth ₹1 crore (approx. US$117,000) that will back five exceptional chess players, including IM Vantika Agrawal, WFM Shubhi Gupta, WFM Charvi Anilkumar, as well as strong players WIM Sarayu Velpula and WIM Sahithi Varshini.

Two years ago Pravaha had begun its contribution into the world of chess by supporting six talents back in 2023. They included Vantika Agrawal, Savitha Shri, Shubhi Gupta, Charvi, Saparya Ghosh and Ilamparthi. The total amount pledged back then was Rs.2 crore for 2 years. Later in 2024, seven talented girl players were sponsored for a training camp with the legendary Judit Polgar in Budapest. Just a few months ago, the champions of the Chess Olympiad 2024 were honoured in Hyderabad. These initiatives show the commitment of Pravaha to support Indian chess, especially women's chess in a deep and consistent way.

Judit Polgar with some of the best talents of Indian chess in Budapest - a training camp funded by Pravaha Foundation

The current initiative aims to identify and support promising women chess players in India by covering their training, tournament participation, and exposure expenses for a year. Among the early beneficiaries was Arjuna Awardee Vantika Agrawal, who was selected for support in 2023. Since then, she has earned the title of International Master and brought home multiple accolades for the country, including team and individual golds at the 2024 Chess Olympiad. As she now sets her sights on achieving the prestigious Grandmaster title, Vantika has been included in the 2025 cohort of the initiative to support her journey further.

IM Vantika Agrawal is an Arjuna Awardee and has achieved so much including a double gold at the Chess Olympiad 2024. She now has her eyes set on the GM title.

When Vantika met the Prime Minister of India after winning double gold at the Chess Olympiad 2024

Vantika and her batchmates’ journeys reflect the long-term impact of Pravaha Foundation and MGD1’s support through 64 Squares. Backed by the initiative, they have already delivered on the big stage, helping India clinch a silver at the Hangzhou Asian Games and the 2024 Chess Olympiad.

Team India won the silver medal at the Asian Games 2024 in China in both men and women chess

Vinoda Kailas, Director and Trustee, Pravaha Foundation, said: “With 64 Squares, we’ve seen how focused, sustained support can unlock far more than just results—it builds the confidence, ambition, and long-term vision of young women in chess. This initiative isn’t just about nurturing talent; it’s about addressing the deep gender gap in the sport. At Pravaha Foundation, we are committed to making the Grandmaster journey a reality for more Indian women. With MGD1 as a dedicated partner in this mission, we’re creating an ecosystem that supports every stage of a player's development. This new cohort embodies that vision, and we’re proud to stand alongside them as they work to reshape the future of Indian chess.”

Vinoda Kailasa, director and trustee of Pravaha Foundation, is dedicated towards the growth of chess in the country

The impact of this transformative support is evident in the progress of rising stars like Sarayu Velpula and Sahithi Varshini. The program’s continued focus on shaping trajectories by nurturing emerging talent like Sarayu (19), a former U-13 national champion who recently secured second place at the 2024 National Junior Girls Championship and currently holds a FIDE rating of 2302. Similarly, 17-year-old Sahithi, a Woman International Master with a rating of 2301, has clinched multiple Asian Youth titles and was part of India’s squad at the 44th Chess Olympiad. Their achievements underscore the critical role of sustained backing in realising the potential of young women in Indian chess.

Sarayu Velpula (born in 2006) rose to the top with a meteoric rise when she gained 538 Elo points in just a couple of months to reach 2443. While her rating has now come down to 2302, she is stabilizing as a top player with all her experience. Her next rise back into 2400 is just around the corner.

Sahithi Varshini (born in 2007) has all the elements in her to become the best in the world. Just as an example, her performance at World Blitz 2023 was sublime. She beat Anna Muzychuk (above), Irina Krush, Meri Arabidze, Stavroula Tsolakidou and more.

The support offered by 64 squares will be instrumental in both Sahithi and Sarayu becoming next GMs of Indian chess

MGD1’s Co-Founder, Sreekar Channapragada, said: “Chess is one of the most resource-intensive sports, and the journey to becoming a Grandmaster often takes over a decade of sustained effort and investment. Unfortunately, many talented players are unable to continue simply due to financial constraints. At MGD1, our mission is to build an ecosystem that makes this challenging journey possible—by expanding funding opportunities that cover world-class training, international exposure, and tournament participation. None of this is easy, even with financial support. What drives us even more is the stark gender gap: of the 85 Grandmasters India has produced, only 3 are women. That alone is reason enough to work toward getting more Indian women to the Grandmasters’ table.”

Sreekar Channapragada has been the manager of Arjun Erigaisi for nearly 3 years now

MGD1 under the guidance of Manu Gurtu and Sreekar Channapragada is creating new possibilities and avenues for Indian youngsters

Shubhi (15), who secured the National U-19 title and multiple international medals, and Charvi (11), who earned a Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar nomination and a 100+ rapid rating gain with a tournament win in June 2023, are the other two beneficiaries of the programme, having initially been included in 2023. As they return in the 2025 cohort, their progress highlights the impact that 64 Squares' support can make in these women players' lives.

A beautiful photo of Shubhi Gupta (born in 2010) fighting against one of India's top GMs Surya Sekhar Ganguly. While becoming the under-12 girls world champion in 2022 was a big achievement, Shubhi's achievement of finishing 4th at the World Juniors (u-20) 2024 at the age of just 14 is quite amazing! She now has an Elo of 2067 and very likely to cross 2200 very soon.

Born in 2014, Charvi is just 10 years old. She already boasts of a rating of 2172! Without doubt she is one of the biggest talents of Indian chess currently.
Charvi's talent was quite clear when she met the queen of chess Judit Polgar during the Chess Olympiad 2022 in Chennai

About Pravaha Foundation

Pravaha Foundation is a non-profit organization and the prime beneficiary of Mytrah's renewable energy business. They work to catalyze the ecosystem, and foster highly able children in India. They work with children in areas of STEM, Design Thinking, Sustainability Design, Rational Inquiry and Debate, Research Methodology, Chess, and many more.

About MGD1

MGD1 is a chess management firm based out of Pune, India. They manage chess talents and teams, organize tournaments, and build technology. They have been working to build a sustainable ecosystem in chess in India. MGD1 organizes the Chennai Grand Masters, which is the strongest classical chess super tournament on Indian soil.

The dream team - Sreekar, Vinoda, Manu - Powering India on the 64 squares!

Srinath Narayanan with Ravi Kailas. Srinath is one of the top trainers in the country and the world of chess and he plays the role of being the advisor to the 64 squares initiative.

Contact Us