Two Nagpur teenagers organise 258-player rapid chess tournament

Nagpur: At an age when most teenagers are busy with studies and other activities, 17-year-old Varad Gawande and 16-year-old Shanaya Shelkar took charge of a major sporting event. The two brought together 258 chess players for the NextGen 3rd Open One Day Rapid Chess Tournament 2026.

The tournament was held under NextGen Chess Tournaments and was recognised by the Chess Association Nagpur. It was played on September 27 at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Social Justice Bhavan on Dikshabhoomi Road near the Government ITI in Vasant Nagar.

With 258 players, it became NextGen's biggest tournament so far. About 148 players took part in the first edition and 233 in the second. The turnout has thus grown from 148 to 233 and now 258 over three editions, which shows the initiative's growing reach.

Games were played at a time control of 10 minutes plus a five-second increment. Besides the open category, there were contests in separate age groups and special categories, including under-7, under-9, under-12, under-15 and under-19, with separate sections for boys and girls. There were also categories for veterans, unrated players and players with disabilities.

What stood out about the tournament was not only the number of players but also the age of its organisers. Varad and Shanaya took part in every task, from planning and arranging the venue to registration, talking to players and parents, publicity, coordination on the day of the tournament and distributing prizes.

In an event with more than 250 people, the two had to handle several tasks at once. They also had to ensure that players and their parents had the necessary facilities. The tournament gave Nagpur's chess players one more competition, and the young organisers gained first-hand experience in leadership, event management, communication and teamwork.

The organisers gave cash prizes, trophies and medals in the various categories. The winner of the open category received a special championship trophy measuring 2 feet 10 inches, which was brought from Pune.

Arrangements for players and accompanying parents were also attended to. The venue had seating, parking, drinking water, washrooms and a stall for snacks and tea.

The organisers say the record participation this time has given them the confidence to hold more tournaments for Nagpur's chess players. They also say it showed that teenagers can come forward to organise sporting events in the city.