Chola Chess

Chola Chess is a chess talent-development academy and the corporate social responsibility initiative of Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company. It identifies promising young Indian chess players and develops them through free, high-quality training led by Grandmaster and International Master coaches. The academy runs free, FIDE-rated residential training camps complemented by follow-up online coaching, and pairs chess instruction with holistic development covering mental conditioning, fitness, communication and nutrition. Training is delivered in collaboration with established coaches, with batches organised by playing strength. Since beginning camps in early 2025, the academy has trained over a thousand young players and hosted its own Grandmaster norm tournament, positioning itself as a structured pathway for India's emerging chess talent toward national and international competition.