Creating Opportunities Through Chess: ACT’s Partnership with Chess4Change

C4CTeam with Sarpanch,Animedh and DNH Chess Board

At Animedh Charitable Trust (ACT), we believe that every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow and realise their potential. While education, healthcare, livelihoods and community development remain at the core of our work, we also recognise that sport can be a powerful catalyst for personal development. Chess, in particular, teaches children to think critically, solve problems, remain resilient in the face of setbacks and make thoughtful decisions.

It is this shared belief that brought ACT together with Chess4Change, a student-led initiative founded in 2023 by four young chess players—Aaditya Anand, Nehan Mehta, Krish Kapur and Vivaan Verma. United by their passion for chess and their desire to give back, they started Chess4Change with a simple mission: to ensure that children from underserved communities have the opportunity to experience the same life lessons and confidence that chess had given them.

Over the last three years, Chess4Change has grown into a grassroots movement that has introduced chess to over 1,000 children, distributed 450+ chess sets, contributed 400+ volunteer hours, and partnered with 13+ schools and organisations across schools, community centres, NGOs and government institutions.

A Partnership That Began with FIDE’s Women in Chess Initiative

ACT’s journey with Chess4Change began through the FIDE Women in Chess initiative, which aimed to promote women’s empowerment through meaningful livelihood opportunities.

As part of the initiative, women associated with ACT handcrafted drawstring chess bags that were used for chess-related programmes and events. The collaboration showcased how chess could create opportunities beyond the game itself supporting livelihoods while encouraging greater participation in chess.

While this initiative focused on women’s empowerment, it also brought ACT and Chess4Change together around a common purpose: using chess as a vehicle for social impact.

That shared vision soon evolved into something much larger.

From the Gift of Chess to Lasting Impact

The next chapter of the partnership began with the Gift of Chess initiative.

Together, ACT and Chess4Change distributed chess sets to government schools across Dadra & Nagar Haveli, ensuring that children who had little or no access to the game now had the resources to learn and play.

However, both organisations recognised that simply providing chess sets would not be enough.

To create lasting impact, access had to be accompanied by opportunity.

What began with the distribution of chess sets gradually evolved into a structured coaching programme. Professional coaches worked with students regularly, introducing them to the fundamentals of chess while helping them build concentration, discipline, confidence and strategic thinking.

The DNH Buddhibal Pratiyogita 2026

Months of coaching naturally led to the next milestone.

To provide students with an opportunity to apply what they had learnt, ACT and Chess4Change organised the DNH Buddhibal Pratiyogita 2026—the first inter-government school chess tournament in Dadra & Nagar Haveli.

The tournament brought together 103 students from 12 government schools, each representing weeks of preparation and determination.

For many participants, the day was filled with unforgettable firsts.

Their first chess tournament.

Their first opportunity to represent their school.

Their first experience using digital chess clocks.

Their first competitive game.

About Chess4Change

Founded in 2023, Chess4Change is a youth-led initiative driven by the belief that chess is much more than a competitive sport.

For its founders, chess taught patience, resilience, critical thinking, confidence and decision-making. They wanted to ensure that these same life lessons reached children who may otherwise never have had the opportunity to learn the game.

The initiative has worked with organisations including AngelXPress, Access Life, Our Children, The Right Pitch and Animedh Charitable Trust to make chess more accessible across diverse communities.

Perhaps the most inspiring aspect of Chess4Change is that it is entirely youth-led.

At an age when most teenagers are balancing academics and personal goals, the four founders have devoted countless weekends and holidays to teaching children, organising events, mentoring young players and building partnerships that make chess more accessible.

Their journey demonstrates that meaningful social impact is not defined by age, but by empathy, commitment and the willingness to take the first step.

Their work also reflects ACT’s own belief that young people can become powerful changemakers when given the opportunity and encouragement to lead.

Looking Ahead

The success of the DNH Buddhibal Pratiyogita is not the end of the journey, it is the beginning of a much larger vision.

Together, ACT and Chess4Change hope to:

• Expand structured chess coaching to more government schools.
• Make the DNH Buddhibal Pratiyogita an annual championship.
• Encourage greater participation by girls.
• Train student volunteers to become future coaches.
• Continue creating opportunities for children across underserved communities.

By combining ACT’s commitment to community development with Chess4Change’s passion for making chess accessible, the partnership aims to ensure that many more children experience the confidence and life skills that the game can nurture.