Sai Swaroop is a class XI student of San Academy. Chess is not just a game for 16-year-old Sai Swaroop V.
He uses the black and white board to train less privileged children to move confidently on the 64 squares.The Class XI student of San Academy in Pallikaranai did one such workshop in October and will be conducting an online workshop in November. The teenager says he has been conducting such free workshops for the last five years, some at orphanages where he gets himself invited and many conducted through the online mode.Sai has been learning chess since a young age and has competed in various competitions to bag the title of Arena International Master.
He is currently learning from Manikandan D and lives to be a mentor.Aravindh Foundations for Special Needs Children, Ramalinga Adigalar Gurukulam and Veda Patasala are some places that he has conducted workshops in the past. He agrees being a teacher to children is not easy, as some rapport needs to be built.
Sometimes it is teaching the basics of the 64 squares, and at some places it is competing with children who have some idea. “I teach them new tricks and ask them to practice,” he says.Two rural students he is still associated with are Sanjay and Tarun, both younger to him who reach out to him before a tournament.“They both are promising chess players and have acknowledged the role that I have played,” he says.How does Sai manage his regular classes at school and taking online classes? “I am good at managing time, and training others is a small way to reinforce what I have learnt,” says the teenager who is a resident of Medavakkam.Sai has been recognised by Kalam’s World Records and has also received the Yuva Legacy Award at the Tamil Nadu Summit 2025. Sai also gives short lectures on the Bhagavad Gita and likes to sing Carnatic songs.
Published - October 26, 2026 02:52 pm IST