Five Indian Women Chess Stars, Including IM Vantika Agrawal, Join 2025 Batch of 64 Squares Initiative

 

Five Indian Women Chess Stars, Including IM Vantika Agrawal, Join 2025 Batch of 64 Squares Initiative

 

Five of India’s most promising women chess players have been selected for the 2025 cohort of the 64 Squares Initiative, a pioneering effort by Pravaha Foundation and chess startup MGD1 to promote women’s chess in India. The ₹1 crore fellowship grant will support International Master Vantika Agrawal, WFM Shubhi Gupta, WFM Charvi Anilkumar, WIM Sarayu Velpula, and WIM Sahithi Varshini with world-class training, tournament participation, and global exposure.

 

The initiative has already made a significant impact, aiding India’s silver-medal performances at the 2024 Chess Olympiad and the Hangzhou Asian Games. Vantika, an Arjuna Awardee and former beneficiary, returns to the 2025 cohort as she pushes toward her Grandmaster title.

 

The selection also spotlights rising stars: Sarayu, a former U-13 national champion and 2024 National Junior Girls runner-up (FIDE 2302), and Sahithi, a multiple-time Asian Youth champion with a rating of 2301. Meanwhile, Shubhi and Charvi, included earlier in 2023, continue to rise—Shubhi won the National U-19 title, and Charvi, just 11, made waves with rapid rating gains and a PM Rashtriya Bal Puraskar nomination.

 

With only 3 women among India’s 85 Grandmasters, 64 Squares aims to change the game—one talent at a time.