SUBHASH MISHRA
Ranchi, November 18: Jharkhand’s young chess prodigy, Adhiraj Mitra of Jamshedpur, has won the Commonwealth Under-14 Chess Championship, which concluded in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Monday.
Unbeaten Run Secures the Title
Adhiraj finished the nine-round tournament with an impressive 8 points, securing the top spot after remaining unbeaten throughout the championship held from 8 to 17 November. Seeded third, he won seven matches and drew two.
ALSO READ: Jharkhand News: Mystery women create concern around Daltonganj railway station
He registered a notable win against top seed Reyan Mohammad (rating 2282) and held second seed M. Mridav to a draw.
Other Podium Finishers
Sri Lanka’s VWA Wickramsinghe secured second place with 7.5 points, while Reyan Md of Patna (7 points) and Mridav M of Tamil Nadu (6 points) finished third and fourth, respectively.
Coach Praises India’s Performance
International Master (IM) Neeraj Mishra, former general secretary of the Jharkhand Chess Association and coach of the Indian contingent, expressed satisfaction with the team’s showing.
He said he was pleased that Indian players secured the 1st, 3rd, and 4th positions in the championship.
A Triumphant Return to Jharkhand
Adhiraj, who is also the Jharkhand Under-13 boys’ champion, received a warm and celebratory welcome at Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Airport on Monday evening.
Jharkhand-Bihar’s first International Chess Arbiter, Jayant Bhuyan of Jamshedpur, was present to receive him.
Rising Star with Strong Training Roots
The promising international talent currently trains under Dushyant Das of Jamshedpur. He learned the basics of chess from International Arbiter and senior coach Jayant Bhuyan at the Tata Chess Centre, Jamshedpur.
A Historic Win for Jharkhand
This is the first time a player from Jharkhand has won the Under-14 title at the Commonwealth Chess Championship, marking a significant milestone for the state’s sporting community.
