Now Reading: Rajasthan’s first AGM gave up IIT, slept on roads for chess
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Rajasthan’s first AGM gave up IIT, slept on roads for chess
Chandrajeet Singh Rajawat, Rajasthan's first Arena Grandmaster (AGM), has put Udaipur on the global chess map by mentoring students from India and abroad. Rajawat gave up preparing for IIT entrance exams and…
Chandrajeet Singh Rajawat, Rajasthan's first Arena Grandmaster (AGM), has put Udaipur on the global chess map by mentoring students from India and abroad. Rajawat gave up preparing for IIT entrance exams and left home as a teenager to pursue chess, spending nights on railway platforms and streets in Delhi.
Rajawat told Times of India that he fell in love with chess around 2011-12 after initially playing cricket and preparing for IIT. Despite his parents' opposition, he skipped IIT counselling and left home. He faced disputes with the All India Chess Federation over eligibility for his first FIDE-rated tournament before eventually succeeding.
He now mentors tutors who guide aspiring chess players. Rajawat's mother, a homemaker who later became a government teacher, helped stabilize the family finances after his father's business faltered.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Rajawat's journey mirrors that of several Indian sportspersons who chose unconventional paths over engineering. His story highlights the lack of formal chess infrastructure in small cities like Udaipur, where talented players often rely on self-study and local tournaments. The title of Arena Grandmaster, introduced by FIDE in 2019, is an online rating-based credential that lowers the entry barrier for players from non-metro regions. As India produces more GMs from smaller towns, the next milestone to watch is whether Rajawat's students can convert AGM titles into full Grandmaster norms.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
