Guwahati marked International Chess Day 2025 with a gathering that focused on community, learning, and outreach. A children-led initiative, Pawns to Kings, organised a chess-based event on 20 July at South Point School, inviting children from child care homes to participate in a day of structured play and engagement.
Participants, mostly children without regular access to such activities, were introduced to the basics of the game by certified mentors before competing in a friendly tournament. The event included a short training session, followed by a series of matches, culminating in a prize distribution. All children received chess kits and certificates.
The organisers, Vihaan and Viraj Upadhyay—aged 14 and 12 respectively—were commended by invited guests for their efforts. The Chairperson of the Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Shyamal Prasad Saikia (Retd. IPS), attended as chief guest, alongside Bhaskar Manta, Director of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of Assam. Both officials highlighted the role of such structured mental games in building resilience and improving focus, particularly among children in care institutions.
In the days leading up to the Guwahati event, the Pawns to Kings initiative also held an online chess tournament from 13 to 19 July on chess.com, under the title #Pledge1. The format encouraged global participation, with the organisers pledging one chess set for donation for every five matches played. Around 3,000 players reportedly took part, completing an estimated 8,000 matches in total. As a result, more than 1,600 chess sets were pledged to be distributed to children lacking access to learning tools and recreational resources.
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