The All India Chess Federation (AICF) has launched the Top National Players’ Stipend Scheme (TNPSS) which saw the national chess federation disburse stipends to deserving Indian players ranging from Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 1,50,000 per player.
In all, the federation disbursed a total of Rs. 42,30,000 to deserving players across the Under 7 to Under 19 categories, both open and girls, based on their stellar performances in last year’s nationals. The AICF said that the TNPSS boasts an ambitious budgetary outlay of Rs. 6,15,60,000.
A total of 42 top-ranked players, based on their last year’s performances at the national level, are the first beneficiaries of this scheme, representing the pinnacle of talent across the U-7, U-9, U-11, U-13, U-15, U-17, and U-19 age categories.
The stipends are for the quarter ranging from the months of April to June of the current financial year.
“For too long, financial constraints have cast a shadow over the aspirations of our chess players. The demands of travel, training, and international competition often force players to abandon their passion which is a profound loss for our nation,” AICF President Nitin Narang said in a statement while explaining the idea behind TNPSS.
“TNPSS is our definitive answer to these challenges, a bold stride towards a player-centric policy that empowers our youth to focus solely on honing their skills and conquering the chessboard,” He added.
“For the first time in our history, we are directly investing in the future of our ‘golden girls and boys’, providing them with the sustained financial bedrock they need to transform their talent into triumph. This is more than a token; it’s a demonstration of our profound support and a catalyst for their dreams,” Narang added. “One of the key objectives is to increase the importance of national tournaments, as they are the foundation for building a strong chess ecosystem in Bharat. It is at the nationals where we can identify and nurture talent,” concluded AICF president.
