- 221 players from the railway family participated enthusiastically; school children, women, and senior citizens showcased their chess skills.
The Annual Chess Competition 2026 (first edition) was grandly organized today by the South East Central Railway Sports Association at the Railway Auditorium Club in Bilaspur, marked by enthusiasm and sportsmanship. A total of 221 players—including children from various schools within the railway premises, members of the railway family, women, and senior citizens—participated and showcased their chess talent.
The competition was inaugurated in the morning by Shri Tarun Prakash, General Manager, South East Central Railway, and Smt. Meenakshi Sharma, President, South East Central Railway Women’s Welfare Organization (SECRO). Railway officials, employees, and participants were present on the occasion, including Shri Vijay Kumar Sahu, Additional General Manager, and Shri Manish Agrawal, Principal Chief Mechanical Engineer and President of the South East Central Railway Sports Association.
Age categories designated for school children included Under-07, 7–9 years, 9–11 years, 11–13 years, and 13–15 years. Boys and girls across these age groups participated enthusiastically and demonstrated their skills.
In the Open category, Vedant Jaiswal secured the first position, Gitansh Sahu the second, and Sambodhi Singh the third. The top 10 players in the Open category were recognized.
Additionally, players participated in the Women, Divyang (differently-abled), and Senior Citizen categories, and those with outstanding performances were honored. In the Women’s category, Anukriti Kumari, Binda Devi, and Archana Gupta secured the first, second, and third positions, respectively. In the Divyang category, Sadhya Kesharwani stood first, and Sandeep Kumar stood second.
All school children participating in the competition were encouraged and awarded medals and certificates. The objective of this initiative was to foster an interest in chess among children and youth, while also developing qualities such as concentration, patience, discipline, and decision-making skills through the sport.
At the prize distribution ceremony held in the evening, awards were presented to the winners and outstanding performers in the distinguished presence of Shri A. K. Meshram, Principal Chief Materials Manager, and Shri Sameerkant Mathur, Deputy General Manager (General) and Joint Secretary of the South East Central Railway Sports Association.
At the inauguration of the tournament, General Manager Shri Tarun Prakash extended his best wishes to all participants and emphasized the importance of sportsmanship. He remarked that sports serve not merely as a medium for competition but as an effective means to cultivate discipline, patience, concentration, and a spirit of healthy rivalry. He encouraged all players to strive for better performance through continuous practice.
Organized by the South East Central Railway Sports Association, this tournament brought together various segments of the railway family on a single platform; it took a significant step towards promoting the intellectual game of chess while strengthening the spirit of sportsmanship, participation, and healthy competition.