Sports

How a Tiny Gujarat Village Became a Chess Powerhouse

Published: 7 August 2026 · 1 min read

What Happened

Ratusinh Na Muvada, a small village in Gujarat's Mahisagar district with only around 100 households, has produced 17 international/FIDE-rated chess players under the guidance of government school teacher Sandip Upadhyay. Over the past few years, he has trained nearly 200 children, many from underprivileged families, transforming the village into a rising centre of chess excellence.

Key Takeaways

What began as one teacher's dream has evolved into a grassroots success story, with rural children winning trophies, earning international ratings, and aspiring to become grandmasters.

Sources

Economic Times, Gujarat Samachar