Four city teenagers turn the game of chess into an uplifting platform for under-privileged children
Nehan Mehta instructs children during a session at Mahalaxmi. Pics/Shadab Khan
Every generation thinks that the one that follows them is not good enough. Generation X said it about the millennials, and the millennials say it about Gen Z. Yet, a quick conversation with the quartet that heads the initiative Chess4Change, and you might realise that the kids are alright. Since 2023, four teenagers — Aaditya Anand, Nehan Mehta, Krish Kapur and Vivaan Verma — are quietly seeking to use chess as a platform for change in the city.
“We love chess,” is the common clarion, as we log into the video call on a busy weekday afternoon. For 14-year-old Aaditya Anand, a founding member of Chess4Change, it was the first game his father taught him. This was not limited to learning the game. “We started out as rivals in tournaments,” reveals another member of the quartet, Nehan Mehta.
All on board
It was one such competition that brought the friends together. “We had met each other on and off, but it was during a tournament in Aurangabad [now Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar] in 2019 that something clicked. Krish [Kapur] and Vivaan [Verma] joined the initiative in 2024,” shares Anand.
Nehan Mehta, Krish Kapur, Vivaan Verma and Aaditya Anand
Did the rivalry come in the way, we wonder? “Not at all,” shares Verma, adding, “We realised that we enjoyed playing with each other. Somehow, competing with each other was more fun.” Like all teens, the quartet turned to social media to get their love for the game out.
“The game gave us so many friends, we wanted to give something back to it,” shares Anand. They certainly find fun ways to do it. In July this year, the quartet picked up spots like railway stations, autorickshaws to get people talking about the game.
Spreading the love
Starting in 2023, the quartet began by looking to teach classes to children in their neighbourhood as part of the initiative. Not exactly an easy task in a country where cricket rules the roost. “We get that cricket is the most popular sport, but the interest is growing,” suggests Kapur, a ninth-grade student at the Hill Spring International School, Tardeo.
The teenagers set out on a campaign to publicise the sport by playing it with rickshaw drivers, and even at railway stations. Pics Courtesy/@chess4changeindia
The teens chanced upon an opportunity with the NGO Angel Xpress Foundation. As of 2025, close to 50 students turn up to be taught the game of chess every weekend. Between their own homework assignments, school and chess practice, the quartet take turns to hold these sessions at BMC gardens in Mahalaxmi and Sewri.
“Chess is more than just a game,” Mehta points out, trying to explain, “When we explain to the children, we have to teach them a completely new way of thinking. It is not just about the pawns on the board. This was a learning experience for us too.” The solution was simple — to have fun while playing the game.
Sometimes, it’s easy to forget the quartet is still in their teens. Recalling a moment during the workshop with cancer survivors of the Access Life Foundation, Mehta says, “It was humbling. It made me realise my privilege, and I was proud when they won.” The quiet and shy Kapur admits, “It improved my communication skills. I learned how to simplify the basics, and help them understand every detail.”
Chess for all
Aaditya Anand plays with a dabbawala on his break
The workshops and lessons are only the beginning. The teens reveal that their next initiative, Queens of the Board, is a digital series that profiles women who have conquered the board. “FIDE has marked out August as Women Chess Month, and we are hoping to spark a conversation through this initiative,” shares Anand. The initiative has also tied up with the Animedh Charitable Trust (ACT) to create merchandise crafted by women artisans. “We plan to sell these online, and offline, to help raise funds for them,” shares Mehta. It looks like the pieces are in place for a new takeover in the city. Good moves, we say.
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