Lost father at 3, mother's belief stayed: Aravindh Chithambaram's rise to becoming first Indian at Esports Chess World Cup 2026

NEW DELHI: A saying becomes a proverb because it has stood the test of time. ‘Patience is the key’ is one such saying. In today's world, where many are busy trying to figure things out without losing hope, not giving up, staying persistent in their pursuit, and staying loyal to their motives, people like 26-year-old Aravindh Chithambaram are a reminder of why such sayings continue to hold true.

After months of failed qualification attempts across Titled Tuesdays, Chess.com play-ins and elite online events, the Grandmaster (GM) from Madurai, Tamil Nadu finally broke through at DreamHack Atlanta earlier this week, becoming the first Indian to qualify for the 2026 Esports Chess World Cup, set to be hosted in Paris from August 11 to August 15.





"I've been trying it for many months to qualify through other tournaments," Aravindh Chithambaram smiled while speaking exclusively to TimesofIndia.com.

Ticket to Esports World Cup 2026

Representing one of India's premier Esports organisations, S8UL, for the second straight year, Aravindh will now be taking on one of the four other players who finish at the top of the Last Chance Qualifier for two spots in the Group Stage of the main event.

"I'm really happy that I qualified for the Esports World Cup," Aravindh added. "Winning the tournament, that's an ethereal feeling. A lot of strong players took part in that event."

Now that a spot in the main event of the Esports World Cup is secured, the modest 1999-born is quick to point out that his eyes are fixed on securing a berth in the group stage.

"I haven't completely qualified for the group stage. I need to play like one more play-in to be in the group stage, so I'm also looking forward to it. I see it as now I have made one step. Of course, it's still a long way to go, I understand, but I'm happy that I made my first step," he explained.

A grandfather’s lesson

Aravindh's journey into the 64 squares began under the most ordinary, yet life-altering circumstances. When he was just three years old, tragedy struck the household in Thirunagar, Madurai. His father passed away, leaving behind a young mother and a toddler, along with a future clouded by immense uncertainty.

Growing up, Aravindh was like any other energetic Indian boy, obsessed with running outdoors to play cricket with the neighbours.

"I started chess at the age of eight," Aravindh recalled. "I asked my grandpa to come and join me for a game of cricket, and he told me, 'No, at this age, I mean, I cannot even walk. Maybe I will teach you a game of chess.' And that's how I got into chess."

What started as an elderly grandfather's clever trick to keep a hyperactive child indoors soon grew into something noteworthy.

'My family has been a great support'

Aravindh would spend hours absorbing the board, the tactics, and every little nuance behind every manoeuvre.

This was something new for his family, especially for his mother, Deivanai, who was working tirelessly as an LIC agent and serving as the sole breadwinner of the family. However, as Aravindh started mastering the craft of chess, his mother's confidence grew, ultimately allowing her son to pursue chess professionally.

"I'm still... I cannot believe that my mom made such a bold decision by letting me do a pursuit," Aravindh acknowledged. "It was just not at all easy. Most of the parents would ask their children to get into academics and such. But I don't know what made her to do that. She thought that I have that talent maybe, so she believed in me."

The financial burden of raising a child alone while funding an expensive competitive sport like chess is a mountain many families fail to climb.

Yet, the environment around Aravindh was deliberately cushioned by a fierce, protective family unit so that the young boy never felt the sting of what was missing.

"My family has been a great support. After I lost my father, I lived with my grandparents and my mom. So I did not feel like missing my father; they were with me together. Also, I'd like to add that my cousin brothers, they have been a huge support, I would say. Because my mom raised most of them, we are all very close to each other. They all support me a lot, which I haven't told in any interviews. Family has been a huge support to my mom especially," the Grandmaster smiled again.

The mentors and sacrifices behind Aravindh’s rise

With his mother anchoring his life and his extended family protecting his peace, Aravindh began to rise rapidly through the ranks. He dominated the local circuits and soon found his footing through early mentors in Madurai.

"I gradually started playing in district tournaments and found a coach there, learned the basics well, and gradually started winning state-level events, went to national events. My first coach was Prasad; he's from Madurai. Also, Gaus Kamadin, he's also from Madurai. He moulded me well, I learned a lot of things from him and started winning national events."

By 2011, a twelve-year-old Aravindh caught the attention of Grandmaster RB Ramesh. Joining Ramesh's chess academy in Chennai became the turning point that transformed a raw prodigy into a polished competitor ready for the international stage.

Ramesh became far more than just a trainer. "Ramesh sir has supported me since then," Aravindh explained. "I think he was the one who got me a lot of sponsors to be in abroad events, people from across the world, everyone contributed for me to play in foreign events. Then I got into a scholarship with ONGC. So he has helped me throughout my journey."

Under Ramesh's watchful guidance, Aravindh, who had earned his first GM norm before his maiden IM norm, secured his Grandmaster title in 2015 at the age of 15, went on to become a back-to-back two-time Indian National Champion in 2018 and 2019, and crossed the elite 2700 ELO rating threshold.

"Initially, we worked on a lot of chess positions," Aravindh said. "Now, he makes sure that I'm in shape for every tournament. We are not working mostly on the chess part; he makes sure my mindset is good, and also I'm doing the right things. Now, it is more of him guiding me."

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That guidance towards a balanced life is evident in Aravindh's lifestyle choices today. In an era where modern athletes are constantly pressured to build "personal brands" and court sponsors through algorithms, Aravindh famously maintains a ghost-like digital presence.


"I was on social media, but now I realise that it's all a waste of time," he laughed. "I feel much better without social media. I am, of course, on WhatsApp, and sometimes I do watch YouTube, but life is... I find it more peaceful."

Looking back at the winding road from a fatherless childhood to becoming a rising name in the Indian chess ecosystem, Aravindh today unknowingly becomes an epitome of ‘patience is the key’. And no one is surprised.

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