New Delhi [India], April 23: The 64 Squares initiative, a collaboration between the Pravaha Foundation from Hyderabad and the chess startup MGD1, is dedicated to enhancing the profile of women's chess in India. The 2025 cohort will provide a fellowship grant of Rs 1 crore to support five outstanding chess players, including IM Vantika Agrawal, WFM Shubhi Gupta, WFM Charvi Anilkumar, and emerging talents WIM Sarayu Velpula and WIM Sahithi Varshini, as stated in a press release from MGD1.

This initiative aims to discover and nurture promising female chess players in India by funding their training, tournament participation, and exposure for a year. Among the first beneficiaries was Arjuna Awardee Vantika Agrawal, who received support in 2023. Since then, she has achieved the title of International Master and has brought home numerous accolades for India, including team and individual gold medals at the 2024 Chess Olympiad. As she aspires to attain the prestigious Grandmaster title, Vantika is part of the 2025 cohort to further aid her journey.

The journeys of Vantika and her peers illustrate the long-lasting impact of the Pravaha Foundation and MGD1's support through 64 Squares. With this backing, they have already made significant contributions, helping India secure a silver medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games and the 2024 Chess Olympiad.

Vinoda Kailas, Director and Trustee of the Pravaha Foundation, remarked, "Through 64 Squares, we have witnessed how dedicated and sustained support can yield more than just results—it fosters confidence, ambition, and a long-term vision among young women in chess. This initiative is not solely about nurturing talent; it also aims to bridge the significant gender gap in the sport. At Pravaha Foundation, we are committed to making the Grandmaster journey achievable for more Indian women. With MGD1 as a committed partner, we are creating an ecosystem that supports every phase of a player's development. This new cohort embodies that vision, and we are proud to support them as they work to transform the future of Indian chess."

The transformative impact of this support is evident in the progress of rising stars like Sarayu Velpula and Sahithi Varshini. The program's ongoing commitment to shaping careers by nurturing emerging talents like Sarayu (19), a former U-13 national champion who recently finished second at the 2024 National Junior Girls Championship and currently holds a FIDE rating of 2302. Similarly, 17-year-old Sahithi, a Woman International Master with a rating of 2301, has won multiple Asian Youth titles and was part of India's team at the 44th Chess Olympiad. Their successes highlight the essential role of consistent support in unlocking the potential of young women in Indian chess.

Sreekar Channapragada, Co-Founder of MGD1, stated, "Chess is one of the most resource-intensive sports, and the path to becoming a Grandmaster often requires over a decade of sustained effort and investment. Unfortunately, many talented players are unable to continue due to financial limitations. At MGD1, our goal is to create an ecosystem that facilitates this challenging journey by expanding funding opportunities that cover world-class training, international exposure, and tournament participation. Achieving this is not easy, even with financial backing. What motivates us even more is the glaring gender gap: of the 85 Grandmasters produced in India, only 3 are women. This alone is a compelling reason to strive for more Indian women at the Grandmasters' table."

Shubhi (15), who has won the National U-19 title and several international medals, and Charvi (11), who received a nomination for the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar and achieved a significant rapid rating increase with a tournament victory in June 2023, are the other two beneficiaries of the program, having been included in 2023. As they return for the 2025 cohort, their progress underscores the positive impact that 64 Squares' support can have on the lives of these female players.