ISB Platinum Jubilee Chess Championship
The second edition of the ISB Platinum Jubilee Chess Championship concluded on a high note with enthusiastic participation from chess players across Bahrain. Organised by The Indian School Bahrain (ISB) in association with Arjun’s Chess Academy as part of the school’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, the championship attracted talented players from various age groups and schools, making it one of the largest and most competitive chess events in the Kingdom.
In the Inter-School Under-14 Team Category, The New Indian School (NIS) emerged as champions. The winning team comprised Noel Abraham Punnoose, Sriram Palaniappan, Jairam Kannappan and Dhanashree Mohanraj. Bahrain Indian School (BIS) secured the runner-up position. The BIS team consisted of Arnav Singh Dewan, Trishan Moorkoth, Dhruv Trivedi and Gunjan Pal.
In the highly competitive Open Category, Rudra Desai was crowned champion. Dimitrios Dispinis secured second place, while Krishna Babu Lakshmanan (ISB) won third place, Aaryan Anil Jai Prabhakaran got fourth place. Aditya Venkataraman finished fifth.
Uma Eswari Meenakshinathan (ISB) was declared the Overall Girls Champion in the Open Category. The age-category winners in the Open Section were: Naga Mokshith Mamidi (Under-8), Pradhyumn Manipuzha (Under-10), Likilesh Amargandhi (Under-12) and Aarav Pandya (ISB) - (Under-14).
The prize distribution ceremony was graced by Bahrain Chess Federation representative Anmar Ibrahim Al Ahmadi as the Chief Guest. ISB Hon. Chairman Adv. Binu Mannil Varughese, Hon. Secretary V. Rajapandian, Hon. Vice Chairman and Hon. Member – Sports Dr. Mohammed Faizal, Hon. Assistant Secretary and Hon. Member – Academics Ranjini Mohan, Hon. Member – Finance & IT Bonny Joseph, Hon. Member – Projects & Maintenance Mithun Mohan, Hon. Member – Transport Mohammad Nayaz Ullah, Principal V.R. Palaniswamy, Senior School and Academic Administration Vice Principal G. Satheesh, Vice Principal Rajesh Nair, Platinum Jubilee General Convener Prince S Natarajan, community leader Mohamed Hussain Malim, Chief Arbiter Arjun Kakkadath, Convenor Faisal Madappally, Coordinator Shamshad, ISB Physical Education HoD Sridhar Siva Samiayya attended. The championship offered attractive cash prizes, with the Open Category champion receiving USD 100. The runner-up was awarded USD 50, while the third-place winner received USD 25,along with trophies and certificates. Earlier the championship was formally inaugurated by Adv. Binu Mannil Varughese, who made the ceremonial first move in a game against Dr. Mohammed Faizal, marking the official commencement of the tournament.
All CBSE schools in Bahrain participated in the Inter-School Team Event, reflecting the growing popularity of chess among students and the strong spirit of healthy competition among educational institutions in the Kingdom. Building on the remarkable success of the inaugural edition, which recorded one of the highest participations in a chess tournament in Bahrain, this year’s championship was bigger, more competitive and more inclusive. The event provided a valuable platform for young and experienced players alike to demonstrate their strategic thinking, concentration and sportsmanship.
All matches were conducted in accordance with FIDE Rapid Chess Rules, ensuring fair play and professional standards throughout the tournament. The event was efficiently managed under the supervision of Chief Arbitrator Arjun Kakkadath and his team of officials.
The Indian School Bahrain expressed its sincere gratitude to all participants, parents, coaches, arbiters, volunteers and members of the organising committee whose support and dedication contributed to the resounding success of the championship. The school also extended its appreciation to Arjun’s Chess Academy for its valuable partnership and to the Bahrain Chess Federation for its continued encouragement of chess development in the Kingdom. The overwhelming response from players and schools, coupled with the collective efforts of all stakeholders, played a significant role in making the event a memorable and successful celebration of ISB’s Platinum Jubilee year.
Posted on 15 June 2026