Nagpur Teens Organize Fourth Chess Tournament on November 10
Varad Gawande and Shanaya Shelkar lead the way in promoting chess through their NextGen Chess initiative.
Teenagers Varad Gawande and Shanaya Shelkar have organized three successful chess tournaments.
The third tournament attracted 258 participants, marking it as one of Nagpur's largest non-FIDE events.
The fourth tournament is set for November 10, 2026, aiming to further enhance local chess engagement.
In a remarkable display of youth leadership, two teenagers from Nagpur, Varad Gawande, 17, and Shanaya Shelkar, 16, are making significant strides in the local chess community by organizing large-scale tournaments. Their initiative, known as NextGen Chess, has successfully hosted three Open One Day Rapid Chess Tournaments, each witnessing a surge in participation, with the latest event drawing an impressive 258 players.
The journey began with their first tournament, which attracted 148 competitors, followed by a second event that saw participation increase to 233. The remarkable turnout at their third tournament has positioned it as one of the largest non-FIDE rapid chess tournaments in Nagpur, highlighting the growing interest in their efforts to promote chess.
Varad and Shanaya have taken on a range of responsibilities in organizing these events, from managing registrations to coordinating logistics and ensuring fair competition among players of various age groups. Their dedication not only showcases their passion for chess but also their remarkable organizational skills and leadership capabilities, as they navigate the complexities of managing events with hundreds of participants.
The success of their previous tournaments has motivated the duo to plan for a fourth Open One Day Rapid Chess Tournament, scheduled for November 10, 2026. Through NextGen Chess, they aim to maintain the momentum of their initiative, attract even more participants, and provide consistent opportunities for chess enthusiasts to compete and hone their skills.
As they continue to foster a vibrant chess culture in Nagpur, Varad and Shanaya's efforts serve as an inspiring example of how young individuals can contribute to sports development at the grassroots level, nurturing talent and encouraging community engagement in chess.
