Five Indian Women Chess Stars, Including IM Vantika Agrawal, Named in 64 Squares 2025 Fellowship Cohort

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64 Squares 2025 Fellowship Cohort: Aiming to elevate women's chess in India, 64 Squares-a collaboration between Hyderabad-based Pravaha Foundation and chess-focused startup MGD1-is championing a new wave of female talent through its 2025 cohort.

The program is extending a ₹1 crore fellowship grant to five promising players, offering critical support to further their journeys in the highly competitive world of chess.

The selected players for this year's cohort include International Master (IM) Vantika Agrawal, Women FIDE Masters (WFM) Shubhi Gupta and Charvi Anilkumar, and emerging Woman International Masters (WIM) Sarayu Velpula and Sahithi Varshini. The fellowship will cover vital expenses such as training, tournament travel, and international exposure for a full year.

Among the most prominent names in the cohort, IM Vantika Agrawal continues her association with the initiative, having first received support in 2023. Her rise since then has been meteoric-crowned with individual and team gold medals at the 2024 Chess Olympiad. Now chasing the Grandmaster title, Vantika is once again backed by 64 Squares as she aims to reach the pinnacle of the sport.

The broader goal of 64 Squares is to address the gender disparity in Indian chess. "Focused, long-term support is a game-changer," said Vinoda Kailas, Director and Trustee of the Pravaha Foundation. "It's not just about victories-it's about building ambition and bridging the gender divide in chess. With MGD1, we're committed to making the Grandmaster dream a reality for more Indian women."

The younger cohort members are already proving the impact of sustained investment. Sarayu Velpula, 19, a former U-13 national champion, recently finished runner-up at the 2024 National Junior Girls Championship and holds a FIDE rating of 2302. WIM Sahithi Varshini, 17, also a Chess Olympiad participant, boasts multiple Asian Youth titles and a rating of 2301.

MGD1's Co-Founder, Sreekar Channapragada, emphasized the financial intensity of the sport: "The road to Grandmaster status demands over a decade of unwavering effort and resources. Only three of India's 85 Grandmasters are women-this imbalance drives our mission to build support systems that open doors for talented girls across the country."

Rounding out the fellowship roster are WFM Shubhi Gupta, 15, the reigning National U-19 champion with several international medals to her name, and 11-year-old prodigy Charvi Anilkumar, a past nominee for the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar and a rapid rating gainer following a tournament victory in mid-2023.

With this renewed commitment, 64 Squares continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of Indian women Grandmasters, turning potential into podium finishes.