Hit By Financial Issues, Chennai's Self-taught Chess Player Mentors Dozens To Champ

Among numerous charities meant for welfare of the underprivileged children, one such effort originating from Tamil Nadu's Chennai has stood out. R Raghavan, a self-taught chess master, has taken upon himself to produce India's next world chess champion. Raghavan, an engineering graduate, currently has nearly 60 students, learning chess free of cost, at the basic and intermediate tier. Son of a retired Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) associate, Raghavan’s dream of becoming a chess Grandmaster is hampered by financial constraints despite being in the game for seven years. With 1,300 points in his pocket, the internationally rated player is halfway through being a Grandmaster, which requires 2,500 points. About reaching the elite stage, Raghavan said, "It would take me 4-5 years", if the financial crisis persists. Meanwhile, he is confident that the Grandmaster title will also be permit for him to teach students at the advanced level. Inspired by chess icons like Vishwanathan Anand, Raghavan has also created a UNICO world record for his 'chess-awareness program' where 200 participants competed in 20 games each, in 75 minutes.