How four schoolboys are using chess for social impact
There is a certain simplicity in how meaningful initiatives begin. In this article, we look at one such story that started with four schoolboys and a game they loved. Aaditya, Nehan, Krish, and Vivaan are young chess players from Mumbai who chose to share the joy of chess with more people. They named the initiative Chess4Change. It began as a few teaching sessions at the AngelXpress Foundation in Sewri and slowly grew into something larger, moving from in-person workshops to online sessions, and later into partnerships that helped distribute chess sets in tribal schools and pediatric care centres. These little kids have touched many lives through their journey. Read the article to see how sharing a game became a way of giving back. Photo: Mid-day
Chess as a tool for change
Recently, I read about the FIDE Global Conference on Chess in Society and Education. The programme seemed interesting in the way it brings together experts in different fields to discuss chess as a tool for social impact.
“Chess has a unique ability to bring together education, social programmes, and public institutions. When it is organised well and supported by strong partners, it can reach people globally and create real opportunities for learning and participation. This conference is about sharing what works, learning from each other, and building stronger cooperation so that chess can play a meaningful role in education and social projects around the world,” said Arkady Dvorkovich, FIDE President.
I have written a few articles on how chess has transformed lives. It could be Sandip Upadhyay in Gujarat, who is selflessly teaching chess in his school for free or Ephrame and Marlet in Tamil Nadu, who are trying to replace gambling with chess. Each of them is working on the same purpose in their own way. What fascinates me every time is that these stories never begin with a grand plan. Someone simply decides to do one small thing. That “small” becomes a habit, and the habit becomes a change.
So reading about this conference felt satisfying. It reminded me of all the stories that reach us from different corners of the country. And it felt like the right moment to share another one with you all! :)
Initiative started by 11-year-old kids!
In 2023, two eleven-year-olds in Mumbai realised that chess had given them so much. Aaditya and Nehan had been playing chess since they were little. It was their comfort and a way of making new friends. They started wondering what it might feel like to share that experience with someone who had never touched a chess set. Their mothers also encouraged them so they reached out to AngelXpress Foundation, which works with children from underserved communities in Mumbai. The boys started teaching sessions in Sewri. And the response surprised them! Children who had never played before picked up rules at lightning speed. They were curious. This was the starting point of the Chess4Change initiative.
Aaditya and Nehan had known two other boys, Krish and Vivaan, for most of their chess-playing lives. They were competitors before, but slowly they became friends. After hearing about Chess4Change, Krish and Vivaan were eager to join the initiative. These four kids manage schoolwork the way most teenagers do, except they also make time for planning workshops, coordinating donations, preparing tutorials, and travelling for sessions. It works because they divide tasks among themselves, and chess still feels like joy, not responsibility.
The few sessions in Sewri soon spread into other spaces. AngelXpress gave them their first entry point. After that, they started experimenting with online sessions, in-person classes, and printed material for children who had limited access to devices.
When FIDE announced the Year of Social Chess, the initiative expanded. You can see how beautifully they carried out this idea in this post. Later, Chess4Change partnered with Animedh Charitable Trust (ACT), where women artisans stitched chess-themed cloth bags and were paid above market wages for that. The ACT team helped them distribute chess sets to twelve tribal schools in Dadra Nagar Haveli under the Gift of Chess initiative. One program led to another. They distributed more chess sets to The Right Pitch, Our Children, then Bhilwara government schools as well.
One of their memorable moments from the workshop was when they went to Sewri BMC Garden to teach three children and ended up teaching nearly twenty eager learners. They also conducted a workshop at AccessLife for pediatric cancer patients. The children there were dealing with heavy treatments and uncertain routines, yet chess gave them a moment of distraction. To their surprise, one boy played confidently. When they asked how he learned, he said he had spent hours playing online before he fell ill. Being able to return to the board meant something to him.
One of their proudest stories is about a boy named Veer from Sewri. He has been learning from them for over two and a half years. From knowing nothing about the game, he now plays in tournaments and has already won matches. Watching his confidence grow has become a reminder of why this initiative matters in the first place.
During Women’s Chess Month, Chess4Change wanted to do something unique. That led to Queens of the Board, a series that supported women in different ways. They created chess merchandise stitched by women at ACT and donated the proceeds to women’s empowerment programs. They also organised workshops for thirty-five girls living near slum settlements. Many of those girls said they would continue playing. The team also created a digital series highlighting pioneers like Ambika K Kutty, Preeti Deshmukh, and Jayashree Dangche, who encouraged others to enter a space that was mostly male for decades.
The boys credit mentors like Praful Zaveri and their individual coaches like Ketan Sir, Harsh Sir, Rajesh Sir, Sahil Sir, and Prathamesh Sir, for helping in their initiative. Their coaches help them improve their own game and also teach them how to guide others. Their mothers have also been steady supporters throughout. They coordinate with logistics, provide transport, and step in whenever needed.
Chess4Change is still young, just like its founders. They are not trying to fix every problem. They simply want chess to reach places it usually doesn’t. Their long-term hope is that chess becomes a tool for learning, growth, and inclusion. They want more Veers. More returning smiles. More women on boards. Chess cannot solve everything. But it can open a door. And for many people, a door is enough!
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