7 years of Pursue Your Chess Scholarship
It's been 7 years since the longest scholarship through HelpChess Foundation, the Pursue Your Chess Scholarship, started. It began in 2018 and has steadily grown since then. From Rs. 50,000 in 2018, the amount increased to Rs. 75,000 in the second edition, Rs. 1,00,000 in the third, Rs. 1,25,000 in the fourth, Rs. 1,50,000 in the fifth and Rs. 1,75,000 in the sixth edition. The 7th edition now takes it to Rs. 2,00,000. That is a fourfold increase in the initial amount!
Ashwin Subramanian is a software engineer by profession but a chess lover at heart. In his own words, “Chess makes me feel like I am meditating with my eyes wide open!” He firmly believes in giving back to the chess community. There is a story behind this belief. When Ashwin was in the 9th standard, he wanted to buy a book on Kasparov-Karpov. It cost Rs. 35. His family felt that the book was too expensive and refused to buy it for him. Ashwin really wanted the book, so he borrowed the money from his aunt and bought it himself.
He never forgot this incident. It made him realise how even a small financial barrier can come in the way of someone's passion. The Pursue Your Chess Scholarship is the result of that thought!
Reflecting on what the scholarship means to him today, Ashwin says:
I just feel extremely grateful to be able to help talented and dedicated chess players in a meaningful way with not letting financial constraints affect their chess progress!
Over the years, several talented players have benefited from the scholarship. Here’s a look at them:
Year | Beneficiaries | Amount | Achievement after the Scholarship |
2018 | Sammed Shete | Rs. 50,000 | Became an IM |
2020 | Shahil Dey | Rs. 50,000 | Became an IM, earned GM norm |
2020 | Aniruddha Potawad | Rs. 25,000 | Elo went from 1800 to 2300 & trained under GM Vishnu Prasanna |
2021 | Harikrishnan A. Ra | Rs. 50,000 | Became a GM |
2021 | Neelash Saha | Rs. 50,000 | Became an IM, crossed 2400+ Elo, very close to GM title |
2023 | Kushagra Mohan | Rs. 1,00,000 | Used for tournament travel |
2023 | Shriraj Bhosale | Rs. 25,000 | Crossed 2100 Elo & trained under GM Shyam Sundar |
2024 | Jubin Jimmy | Rs. 1,25,000 | Used for tournament travel |
2024 | Aaradhya Das | Rs. 25,000 | Won medals in many tournaments |
2025 | Sriram Adarsh Uppala | Rs. 1,00,000 | Participated and won medals in tournaments |
2025 | Prishita Gupta | Rs. 50,000 | Became a WIM |
2025 | Aamuktha Guntaka | Rs. 25,000 | Became a WIM |
Now, it is time for another chess player to benefit from that opportunity. The 7th edition will offer a total scholarship amount of Rs. 2,00,000. It is open to chess players who are serious about pursuing the game and need financial support to take the next step in their journey.
If you are a player who has been working hard and feels that financial limitations are holding you back from playing more tournaments, getting better training, or pursuing your chess goals, this could be an opportunity worth applying for. You can fill out the application form here.
Apply now
Important links:
Know more about Ashwin Subramanian
Pursue Your Chess Scholarship - 1st Edition
Pursue Your Chess Scholarship - 2nd Edition
Pursue Your Chess Scholarship - 3rd Edition
Pursue Your Chess Scholarship - 4th Edition
