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Game of pawns just got powered up as chess makes its esports move
MUMBAI: The queens are charged, the knights are digital, and India’s chessboard is now esports-ready. In a game-changing move for Indian chess, Nodwin Gaming has announced a strategic partnership with Chess.com and Chessbase India, marking a historic convergence of esports, content, and competitive chess. Together, the trio will co-create original IPs, power pro-level broadcasts, and elevate India’s growing chess ecosystem into a global force.
From school tournaments to creator streams, chess has undergone a stunning revival. Once the preserve of silent halls and grandmasters, it’s now the fourth most-watched sport in India trailing only cricket, kabaddi, and BGMI. This new-age boom has been fuelled by the digital-first youth, and the stats are as sharp as a Sicilian Defence, 7.6 billion games played globally on Chess.com in 2024, 200 million plus registered users, including over 9 million monthly active players from India, 550,000 plus new Indian sign-ups every month, 925 million organic views, with viewership up 640 per cent year-on-year
The tipping point? The Gukesh vs Ding Liren World Championship final, streamed in India exclusively by this trio, which racked up 24 million views and a peak concurrency of 200,000.
“Chess has now become more than a game, it’s content, culture, and community,” said Nodwin Gaming co-founder and MD Akshat Rathee. “With this partnership, we’re building a future-ready ecosystem to take Indian chess from heritage to hype.”
And it’s not just the numbers. The chess revolution is reshaping Indian cities and screens alike, Cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai rank among the world’s top chess-viewing zones. 80.9 per cent of Indian chess viewership is on smartphones. Core audience? Ages 18–34, a Gen Z and millennial-driven wave of tactical fandom
Chessbase India CEO Sagar Shah sees this as more than a business arrangement, “This is a vision to take Indian chess from grassroots to global. With NODWIN and Chess.com, we now have the firepower to truly scale it.”
Chess.com India, country director Avadh Shah added, “The excitement around chess is at an all-time high, and this collaboration ensures India plays a defining role in shaping its future.”
That future arrives fast. At the Esports World Cup 2025, chess will debut with a 1.5 million dollars prize pool. Representing India will be S8ul’s Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram the country’s first-ever esports team to compete in global chess.
From mobile-first blitz battles to stadium-sized finals, chess is no longer just about black-and-white strategy, it’s a full-spectrum spectacle. And with Nodwin Gaming, Chess.com, and ChessBase India now playing as one, India might just checkmate the world.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
