Jaswantlal Jiwanlal Charitable Trust (JJCT) Ahmedabad
Chess is a great game that has many potentialities. I wanted to use it
as a medium to create equality in society - be it for physically and
mentally challenged or impoverished kids . I find it as a great
equalizer, a source of mental strength and confidence . This was my
motive for my workshops in India.
I started with Jaswantlal Jiwanlal Charitable Trust(JJCT) Ahmedabad ,
India , an organization that dedicates itself in the service of
specially abled people. I wanted to conduct a chess workshop for the
specially abled in JJCT with an aim to instill a sense of confidence
and bring them a step nearer to the mainstream.
My preparations for this workshop started months before . I started
on-line chess tutoring for the teachers/ caretakers of this
organization . After this , the teachers and I then started training
the specially abled kids . Initially the teachers were apprehensive -
but as days went by , they saw the kids eagerly looking forward to
these tutoring sessions, their eyes sparkled and the game instilled in
them a sense of participation . The response was overwhelming and we conducted games and chose the finalists . I along with my parents flew to Ahmedabad and went to JJCT. The stage was set and the eager participants were waiting. I conducted a session focusing on the chess tactics, their strength and tips and tricks for winning a game.
The students were delighted to see me in person and were ready for the finale - the finals of the chess tournament. 16 of them , physically ,
mentally and visually challenged players played their games and
winners were declared .
Armed with the newly acquired knowledge, the students did phenomenally well and they played the matches surpassing all expectations. The glint in their eyes and their body language spoke volumes about their confidence. An entirely new scenario was unfolding and they craved for more games to be played.
"When we started to teach the game, most of them could not play it.
But, within 10 days, 70% of the children are interested and their
conceptual processes are showing improvement. We are grateful for
Dhruti who brought this appreciative change in our children. We look
forward to more such sessions. " was the opinion of office bearers
who took great pains along with me on this noble endeavor.
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OUTCOMES:
- Total Sponsorships to implement all four chess camps equivalent to $15,000 (donated from Knightingales Chess Ac
- Coaching started months before the event with Coach Dhruti training students at JJCT in the art of Chess.
- Knightingales Chess Academy Sponsored the JJCT event held at Ahmedabad on June 5th 2023 at the Tagore Hall.
- Organize the Event including a chess tournament, special chess dance performance, dance performance, prizes, and dinner.
- Event attended by 250+ people, 20 Indian companies (including INC 5000 listed), and government officials.
- Raised $6,000. during the event itself for the progress of JJCT.
- First time physically and mentally challenged children in Gujarat were given the opportunity to learn chess.
- Event covered by the Metro Times News, Gujarat Freedom News, and Divyang News Official.
NEW BALAJI VIKRAM SCHOOL BANGALORE
Traveling South , I selected a rural school around the city of
Bangalore - NEW BALAJI VIKRAM SCHOOL. The management was equally enthusiastic as I was since they had never done a Chess workshop before
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.The whole school was enthusiastic to meet me , and signed up
for the whole day of my chess workshop . I tutored them for the first
half of the day and the second part, I had games and challenges and
selected five winners - who got some cash prizes and also won a whole
year of free online coaching by me. Around 70 kids participated and
the energy in the room , specially when playing against each other in
Chess Jeopardy , was unmatchable.
Through Knightingales chess academy , I donated chess sets to the school and declared June 6th - as a Chess day every year so that they can all play and practice for it!
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Outcomes:
- Sponsored chess event at the New Balaji Vikram School for 75+ kids
- Knightingales sponsored lunch and 20 chess sets for the school
- Rs.5000 in cash prizes sponsored by Knightingales to tournament winners
- Event coverage by Karnataka Newspapers
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KENGERI EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY BANGALORE
Inspired by this success , the management of another High School in
Kengeri , Bangalore invited me to conduct the camp in their school .
The next day, June 9th, I promptly visited Kengeri High school, which
is managed by KENGERI EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY where the majority of students come from the neighboring villages. These students, though never exposed to chess , earlier evinced very keen interest to learn and play chess. They teamed themselves into groups and pooled their collective intelligence to learn the intricacies of this majestic game.
The tournament session went very well. ' I always imagined that
chess is a boring game and played only by very few people. ..I never
thought that it is such an interesting game and demands your complete attention. Now I am beginning to love the game, " said Ganguly, who did very well in the training session and eventually won the mini chess tournament. The other boys and girls agreed with him and now they all hooked onto the game and were keen on gaining a chess edge over others. That was the magic spell cast on students.
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OUTCOMES:
- Sponsored chess event at the Kengeri Educational Society for 50+ kids
- Knightingales sponsored 20 chess sets for the school
- Rs.5000 in cash prizes sponsored by Knightingales to tournament winners
- Event graced by presence of the president of the Kengeri Educational trust, teachers, and board members.
- Event coverage by Karnataka Newspapers
DEENABANDHU ASHRAMA KARNATAKA
My last stop in the Indian tour was DEENABANDHU ASHRAMA in Chamarajanagar of Chamarajanagar district, Karnataka. DEENABANDHU ASHRAMA is a training shelter for the underprivileged and destitute children and has been doing yeoman service in this field since 1994. It is an initiative by Prof.Jayadeva a renowned laureate and a social
reformer.
I came to know of this centre after collaborating with research on Child Labour with Mrs. Pragna (head of the institute). I
started interacting with Mrs. Pragna who is the caretaker in the
Ashrama and planned for a chess camp for the inmates of the Ashrama. The date was fixed to June 10th and children were ready for the camp at their earnest. About twenty of them were primed about the camp and the session began. The interest evinced by these tiny tots was very nice.
The students proved to be brilliant and were quite smart to grasp the essence of the game quickly. Their response
and the intense love they showered upon the tutor was very touching.
Kubera, the youngest of the team, lovingly asked me in Kannada (local language) - " Akka, tirugi yaavaaga barteeya??- when will be You be back...??" . Every one present there was touched by this pure love and of-course I assured them that I would be back next year to make this an annual event.
Overall, the chess tour definitely instilled the love of chess for about 200+ kids, but also brought in humility , a feeling of gratitude to the privileges I have and brought me to appreciate things which I take for
granted . I am back in the US , vouching that I will do these camps as frequently as I can and get to reach students in event the most remote placed of the world and encourage them to
love chess. Who knows - one among these above kids
might become the youngest Grandmaster!
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OUTCOMES:
- Sponsored chess event at the Deenabhandu Ashrama
- Knightingales sponsored 25 chess sets for the school
- Knightingales donated 1 lakh rupees (approx $1200) to the educational Ashrama to sponsor the education and fostership of more kids and 11 educational school days.
- Knightingales donated an additional Rupees 5,000 in cash prizes to the trust as well.
- Event graced by presence of the president of the Deenabhandu Ashrama, teachers, and of course students!
- Event coverage by Karnataka Newspapers
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