Chess Program For Youth In JK Aims At Mind Diversion

By Arvind Aaron

Chess like music has the power to make men happy. Chess can also create a diversion of the youth from depression of the mind and idleness, all of which contribute to negativities and bad habits. High chess activity can help in education, mathematics and decision making in most walks of life.

Engaging the youth in positive activity, the “Chess in Schools” training program of the All J&K Chess Association trained about 1000 kids in a mega workshop at Amba School, in Reasi District. School children were very excited and enthusiastic in the workshop and they pledged to work hard for excelling in sports and remain away from bad habits.

Today’s majority of tournament players are not in the 25 to 55 age groups like in the past. The chess revolution that India is riding is on the below 25 age category. In short “youth”. Children drop out from chess when they reach tenth standard and twelfth standard where they face public examinations and also during demanding Medicine and Engineering courses. But Grand Master Jan Timman, who played for the World Championship in 1993 believes in this well known quote, “once a chess player always a chess player.”

Chess lectures with videos were delivered by Atul Kumar Gupta, President of the All J&K Chess Association and also Joint Secretary of the All India Chess Federation. The program was co-ordinated by Chairman, Chess in School Program Kuljeet Singh Jamwal, Advisor Dr Bhatia and Baldev Raj, Vice President AJKCA alongwith Principal, Amba School Mr. Katoch who promised to give basic training to other schools around the Reasi District.

AJKCA President Atul Kumar Gupta said that due to these types of programs youth and kids will get knowledge and platform to display their skills and will shy away from bad habits.

Earlier, AJKCA in collaboration with various agencies had done similar programs in remote border areas of J&K like Tangdhar, Leh, Ladakh and other areas of Jammu. In total, as of now, AJKCA has covered more than 25000 youth in J&K State.