38th NAT. UNDER-7 OPEN & GIRLS CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS FROM 01-05 JUNE 2025

The 38th National Under-7 Open and Girls Chess Championship was a highly anticipated event in India’s chess community. It was held at the KT Global School in Khorda Bhubaneswar,  a venue perfectly suited for young players. The championship drew in 345 participants from 27 states, making it a truly national chess festival. In the Open category, 217 players competed, with Sreyansh Thumati, a 1539 FIDE rated player from Telangana, as the top seed. In the Girls category, 128 players competed, with Saiaastha Singh, rated 1536, as the top seed. The event was organized by the All-Odisha Chess Association (AOCA) and was supported by the All-India Chess Federation and the Department of Sports Youth Services, Government of Odisha. The 38th National (Under 7) Open & Girls Chess Championships 2025, hosted by the All-Odisha Chess Association, kicked off with great enthusiasm at KT Global School, Khordha. The inauguration ceremony, held at 10:00 A.M. on 01 June 2025, the following guests graced the inaugural function: Chief Guest Sri Goutam Panigrahi from Corporate Affairs, JSW Steel Ltd.; Guest of Honour Rtn. Manoj Kumar Tripathy, District Governor (2025-26), Rotary International Dist. 3262; Guest of Honour Sri Swayangsu Satyapragyan, International Master, Admin. Pro-Chess-Ta; Guest of Honour Sri Somdutt Behura, Chairman, KT Global School; Sri Satya Ranjan Patnaik, President, All Odisha Chess Association; and Sri Debabrata Bhatta, Secretary, All Odisha Chess Association. The championship was played in a Swiss-system format, with 9 rounds. A Prize Pool of ₹2,50,000 was allocated for each category, totaling ₹5,00,000. The top two players from each category will represent India in upcoming World and Continental events.

The young talents displayed exceptional skills, strategic brilliance, and unwavering determination. The event fostered a spirit of camaraderie and sportsmanship while providing invaluable experience to participants. This event not only highlighted India’s growing chess potential, but also inspired the next generation of players to aim for international excellence. The tournament was a perfect blend of competitive chess and the celebration of young talent, leaving an indelible mark on all attendees.

After the seventh round in the Girls Section, Shreyanshi Jain from Rajasthan led the race with 7 points. She maintained her lead and did not allow anyone to overtake her, winning all nine rounds and ultimately clinching the crown of 38th National Under-7 Girls Chess Champion.

 In the Open Section, on the fourth round, Evan Antonio Telles from Goa drew with Rinek Singh Kadyan from Haryana. However, Evan Antonio held on to his position as the leader and ultimately clinched the crown of 38th National Under-7 Open Chess Champion.

The Championship concluded with Valedictory ceremony-cum-Prize Distribution, at 04:30 P.M. on 05th June 2025.The following Guests were present in the dias. The Chief Guest Ms. Sagarika Nath, IPS, S.P. Khordha, Odisha Welcome address by Er. Debabrata Bhatta, Secretary, All Odisha Chess Association
Guest of Honour Mr. Prasanta Kundu, Joint Secretary, All India Chess Federation
Shri Manish Kumar, Joint Secretary, All India Chess Federation
Shri Rajib Dhar, Secretary, All Assam Chess Association
Shri Dharmendra Kumar, Treasurer, All India Chess Federation
Shri Ajeet Verma, Head of Operation, All India Chess Federation
Shri Satya Ranjan Pattnaik, President, All Odisha Chess Association
All the guests graced the occasion of the last day and distributed the prizes