38th National Under-13 Chess Championship 2025Event Codes: 430540/GOA/2025 & 430541/GOA/2025.Shaunak Badole of Maharashtra and WCM Deekshitha Modipalli of Telangana Crowned National Champions

The 38th National Under-13 Chess Championship 2025 concluded with grandeur at the Daivadnya Bhavan in Margao, Goa. After eleven rounds of intense battles, Shaunak Badole of Maharashtra and WCM Deekshitha Modipalli of Telangana emerged as the champions in the Open and Girls’ categories respectively, etching their names in the history of Indian chess.

Open Section

On the top board, Shaunak Badole (2086) of Maharashtra outplayed Arush A (2105) of Kerala. Remaining unbeaten with 10 points, Shaunak lifted the champion’s trophy along with a cash prize

• 2nd place: Siddhanth Poonja (2215) of Karnataka
• 3rd place: CM Madhvendra Pratap Sharma (2187) of Madhya Pradesh –
• 4th place: Siddhant Salunke (2050) of Maharashtra
• 5th place: Shubh Atha (1881) of Gujarat

Other notable Top-20 finishers included Shaurya Chaudhary (Delhi), Samarth Sreeni Warrier (Gujarat), CM Aarit Kapil (Delhi), Aarav Saish Amonkar (Karnataka), Aarush Dolas (Maharashtra), Arush A (Kerala), Samuel Stephen Noble S (Andhra Pradesh), Parambrata Sarkar (West Bengal), Aryan Behera (Odisha), Adhiraj Mitra (Jharkhand), Ayaan Garg (Chandigarh), Pratyush Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), Dharsh M (Tamil Nadu), Vivan Soni (Maharashtra), and Mayukh Majumder (West Bengal).

Girls’ Section

In the Girls’ section, WCM Deekshitha Modipalli (1934) of Telangana drew her final-round game against Arpita Patankar (1846) of Gujarat, finishing unbeaten with 9.5 points to clinch the champion’s title

• 2nd place: Mysha Perwez (1815) of Maharashtra
• 3rd place: Maitreyi Mondal (1883) of West Bengal
• 4th place: WCM Aamuktha Guntaka (2102) of Andhra Pradesh
• 5th place: Sravyasree Bheemarasetty (1978) of Andhra Pradesh

Other players finishing in the Top-20 included WCM Sri Darshini T (Andhra Pradesh), WFM Saranya Devi Narahari (Telangana), Arpita Patankar (Gujarat), WCM Aaradhya Das (Tripura), Vanshika Rawat (Delhi), Charudharshini R (Tamil Nadu), Sasi Hasini Chintala (Telangana), Janaki S D (Kerala), Dishita Dey (Jharkhand), Krupha S Ukkali (Karnataka), Shreya Rajesh (Karnataka), WCM Hanya Shah (Gujarat), Indusheetala Natarajan (Karnataka), Siddhi Rao (Karnataka), and Dheekshika G (Tamil Nadu).

Dignitaries and Ceremonies

The closing ceremony was graced by Shri Digambar Kamat, Hon. Minister of Public Works, Legal Metrology, and Captain of Ports, as the Chief Guest. Guests of Honor included Mr. Ajeet Kumar Verma, Chief of Operations, AICF, and Mr. Ramakant Raikar, President of Daivadnya Samaj, Margao. Several dignitaries from the Goa Chess Association and local organizations also adorned the dais, adding prestige to the occasion.

The inauguration ceremony, held on 4th September at 9:00 AM, was equally memorable with Mr. Ramakant Raikar as the Chief Guest, alongside Mr. Mahesh Candolkar (President, Goa Chess Association), Mr. Ashesh Keni (Tournament Director), Mr. Jismon Mathew (Chief Arbiter), and other senior officials.

Participation and Organization

The event witnessed 597 participants from 27 states and 2 union territories – 395 in the Open and 202 in the Girls’ section. Among them, 471 were rated players. Top seeds were Siddhanth Poonja (2215, Karnataka) in the Open section and WCM Aamuktha Guntaka (2102, Andhra Pradesh) in the Girls’ section.

The championship was organized efficiently by the Goa Chess Association, under the leadership of Tournament Director Mr. Ashesh Keni, with smooth conduct, high-quality games, and excellent participation making it one of the most memorable National U-13 Championships hosted in Goa.