Sriram Adarsh Uppala, Prishita Gupta and Aamuktha Guntaka receive the 6th edition of the Pursue Your Chess Scholarship
Among all HelpChess initiatives, "Pursue Your Chess Scholarship" stands as the longest-running support for young talents. It began six years ago with Rs. 50,000, supporting just one player, and has since helped nine players on their chess journeys. This year, three more names join that list: Sriram Adarsh Uppala (Rs. 1,00,000), Prishita Gupta (Rs. 50,000), and Aamuktha Guntaka (Rs. 25,000). With this, the impact of the scholarship continues to grow, reaching players at crucial stages of their careers. Read on to learn more about the scholarship’s journey.
The many pursuits!
The word pursuit means chasing something with dedication. For a chess player, the pursuit is clear: Mastery! The pursuit of a new idea in the opening. The pursuit of a winning plan in the middlegame. The pursuit of perfect technique in the endgame. But before any of that begins, parents pursue a coach they can afford. They pursue the tournaments they can manage to send their child to. They pursue time, resources, and a way to keep the dream alive!
Yet for many, this pursuit ends too soon. Chess is a demanding sport. Training, study materials, tournament expenses and travel all add up. Financial constraints make it harder to chase that dream year after year. To help such players, we started the HelpChess Foundation. Our mission is to support those who have everything to give, except the means to give it. In the year 2024-25, through the generosity of the chess community, we raised Rs. 1.6 crore and supported 32 talented players across India.
“Pursue Your Chess” Scholarship lies at the heart of HelpChess Foundation. The man behind this longest-running scholarship is Ashwin Subramanian. His generous support has reached nine players so far!
Ashwin Subramanian is a software engineer by profession, but a chess lover at heart. He is a gifted chess photographer as well! I met him at the FIDE World Cup 2025 and was impressed with his enthusiasm to capture moments from the event. It’s a beautiful thing to witness someone who not only loves the game through a lens but also supports it so meaningfully. When asked how he personally defines the scholarship’s success, he shared:
“My definition of success with this initiative is providing crucial financial support when a player’s talent is at risk of being suppressed by financial constraints! If the scholarship allows a player to afford a better coach, travel to a tournament, or buy a high-performance laptop to study with engines, then it has served its purpose! Success is basically seeing a player move from a state of 'hoping to play' to 'focusing on learning and growth.”
Here are the players who received the Pursue Your Chess Scholarship in the past:
Year | Beneficiaries | Amount | Achievement after the Scholarship |
2018 | Sammed Shete | Rs. 50,000 | Became an IM, earned GM norm |
2020 | Shahil Dey | Rs. 50,000 | Became an IM, earned two GM norms |
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 International tournaments |
“When I look back, what makes me feel this initiative truly worked is seeing its recipients convert the support into meaningful actions that helped them grow as chess professionals. We’ve had beneficiaries accomplish milestones - like becoming an IM or GM, earning norms, or making big rating jumps because the scholarship bridged a critical financial gap for them at the right time. The most meaningful part is, of course, witnessing their self-belief, commitment, discipline, clarity, and hunger to improve - and staying connected with them over time," Aswhin shared.
This year, three players have been added to this growing list of scholarship recipients: Sriram Adarsh Uppala, Prishita Gupta, and Aamuktha Guntaka.
Sriram Adarsh Uppala: Recipient of Pursue Your Chess Scholarship worth Rs. 1,00,000
In the last two years, IM Sriram Adarsh Uppala from Hyderabad has built an impressive record on both national and international stages. Towards the end of last year, he crossed the 2460 rating mark.
He won a bronze medal at the World Youth Under-18 Championship last year. The year before proved equally rewarding, as he won gold at the National Under-17 Championship, secured silver in the Asian Youth Championship (Blitz), and played a key role in earning two silver and one bronze team medals at the same event. Last year, he became the champion at the Farago Ivan Memorial GM Tournament, where he also achieved his first Grandmaster norm. Looking ahead, his goal is to complete his Grandmaster title, with plans to push his rating beyond 2600 in a year or two. He plans to use this scholarship for international travel.
Prishita Gupta: Recipient of Pursue Your Chess Scholarship worth Rs. 50,000
Prishita Gupta is a name you will want to remember! Her chess journey began at the age of six in a library, where she was first introduced to the game as a hobby. She played her first tournament, Under-7 National Championship in Tumkur in 2017. With limited preparation, she finished seventh. Soon after, she committed fully to the sport, training for five to six hours daily. A strong influence in her journey has been her elder sister, Kaashvi Gupta. She is an international table tennis player. Her competitive nature and strong will to overcome injury shaped Prishita’s own mindset.
Prishita has consistently been among the world’s best in her age group. She was ranked World No. 1 in U-14 Girls from August 2025 to December 2025 and held the World No. 1 spot in U-15 Girls until last month. As per the February 2026 FIDE rating list, she is currently ranked fifth in her age group.
For Prishita, chess is a reflection of life itself. It teaches her patience, adaptability, and clear thinking under pressure. Looking ahead, her goal for 2026 is to cross the 2400 rating mark and earn the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title. This scholarship will support her training and help her continue her steady rise at the international level.
Aamuktha Guntaka: Recipient of Pursue Your Chess Scholarship worth Rs. 25,000
Aamuktha Guntaka started playing chess as a hobby in COVID-19. It didn’t take long for her talent to emerge. Her first big step into the chess world was in 2022, at her first classical tournament in Visakhapatnam. It was also her first time playing offline, and she started with a rating of 1035. From that beginning, her rise has been swift and impressive. She achieved her first WIM norm at the Tegernsee Open in November 2025. She won Gold in rapid at the Western Asia Youth Championship 2025. She also won Bronze with her team at the Women’s National Championship 2025. Aamuktha draws her inspiration from the legendary Judit Polgar. Like her idol, she aspires to compete fearlessly in the open section. Her goal is to become a Grandmaster and, ultimately, a World Champion. She plans to use the scholarship toward covering entry fees and travel expenses for tournaments.
With this sixth edition, the cycle of progress continues. The pursuit is now in the hands of these youngsters! We can’t wait to see the opportunities they seize and the progress they make. As Ashwin Subramanian so aptly put it, “Ultimately, Pursue Your Chess ‘works’ when it turns potential into opportunity and opportunity into progress.”
About HelpChess Foundation
HelpChess Foundation is a registered charitable Trust with 80G tax benefits run by ChessBase India. The aim is to nurture chess talent to find the next great Indian chess player. If you are a believer of growth in Indian chess and would like to contribute to the goal, then please go to the official website. The website is made to ensure transparency and ease of transfer of funds. If you contribute towards the foundation, you will not only be supporting chess talents to fulfill their dreams, but you will also receive tax benefits. Decide whether you want to become a “Believer” or “Big Believer” (Contribution above Rs.50,000). In case you would like to institute a scholarship, you can write to us at chessbaseindia@gmail.com. We assure you that every single penny that you contribute will be used to support Indian chess players.
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