Page 167 - EW December 2025

Young Achievers

values have shaped his Rated Chess tournament, Aarini
outlook on life and com- was awarded her first official Rapid
munity. “Grandpa taught (1550) and Blitz (1498) ratings.
me the philosophy of ‘my Introduced to this intense mind
world is one family’ and sport by her father Surendar, himself
urged me to expand my a former FIDE rated player and
vision beyond immediate founder of Delhi’s Indus Global
family to respect every Sports Foundation Chess Academy,
person with love and this tiny chess champ is a class I
dignity. This belief be- student of Delhi’s Bluebells Inter-
came the watchword of national School. “Aarini took to the
Project Svasti,” says this chessboard as soon as she started
young new-age social walking. Unlike children her age,
evangelist. she learned by watching me teach
To conceptualise and my students online during the Covid
operationalise his com- pandemic. Soon after, she started
munity welfare project, setting up her chess board inde-
AARUSH AGGARWAL Aarush is thankful to TSRS’ dedicat- pendently and moving chess pieces
around. Recognising her aptitude for
ed team of CAS (Creativity, Activity,
Service) framework coordinators the game, I decided to teach her the
who mentored him. “Aparna Mam, basics of chess together with life les-
hen a caregiver failed to in particular, was the most encourag- sons on winning and losing,” recalls
avail public healthcare ing,” he adds. father Surendar.
Wbenefits for his father After completing Plus Two, “Since her debut in competitive
when he took ill, Aarush Aggarwal Aarush plans to enroll in a computer chess early this year with full school
(17), a class XII student of Guru- science and information systems support, I have encouraged her to
gram’s top-ranked The Shri Ram degree program. “My goal is to use compete in open category chess
School, Moulsari, swung into action technology not just as a career path, tournaments to ensure maximum
to organise community enrolment but to create meaningful change in learning. Our goal is to ensure Aarini
camps under Project Svasti (‘well- society,” he says. plays freely for enjoyment with no
being’) to help eligible individuals compulsion to win,” adds Surendar.
register for the PMJAY (Prime Dipta Joshi (Mumbai) However although only six years
Minister’s Ayushman Bharat Health of age, Aarini follows a disciplined
Insurance) scheme. Thus far, his weekly routine — committing three
team of 17 volunteers have enabled AARINI LAHOTY hours daily after school to rigorous
1,000 beneficiaries in the national practice at daddy’s academy under
capital to avail PMJAY benefits, an guidance of delighted mentors and
initiative launched by the Union elhi-based chess infant prod- coaches. Moreover, she invests time
government’s health ministry. igy Aarini Lahoty (6) — the watching recordings of former world
“I sent my core team members Dworld’s youngest Fédération chess champions on YouTube.
to select locations, manage logistics Internationale des Echecs (FIDE)- Chess aficionados worldwide
and connect applicants with state rated player across all chess formats would do well to track this young
health agency officials. We selected with a classical rating of 1553 in Sep- prodigy likely to scale great heights
ration shops/ dispensaries in areas tember (2025) — has joined India’s in this exciting mind game.
with high number of beneficiaries growing league of rightly celebrated
and communicated with local com- young chess champions. Paromita Sengupta (Bengaluru)
munity leaders. Initially, our camps Aarini made her competitive de-
were organised with tech support but at five years seven months during
— laptops, internet hotspots and the Delhi State Chess Championship
verification systems — to help gen- held in April where she participated
erate the Ayushman Bharat e-card in the Under-11, U-9 and U-7 girls’
on the spot. Subsequently, our vol- categories. More recently in July, she
unteers engaged with beneficiaries competed in Assam’s 1st University
explaining card usage and docu- International Open FIDE Rated
ments submission. Soon our team Chess Tournament 2025, finishing
successfully trained local residents second in the classical format in the
to manage the enrolment process U-8 girls’ category. Soon thereafter,
independently,” says Aarush. little Aarini was recognised as the
The elder child of Nipun Aggar- ‘Youngest Female Chess Player in
wal, Chief Commercial Officer of Air the Tournament,’ and awarded her
India, and Anu Krishna Aggarwal, first official classical FIDE rating
a civil servant, Aarush is hugely of 1553. Weeks later in Delhi at the
inspired by his grandparents whose 2nd Maharathi Open Rapid FIDE

DECEMBER 2025 EDUCATIONWORLD 167