Nagpur News : IM Kaustav Kundu of West Bengal clinched the title at the 18th G.H. Raisoni Memorial International FIDE Classical Rating Chess Tournament 2025, which concluded on 13th June 2025 at the G.H. Raisoni Institute of Information and Technology, Shraddha Park, Wadi-Hingna Link Road, near MIDC Police Station, Nagpur. The tournament was organised by the G.H. Raisoni Sports and Cultural Foundation in collaboration with the Kalpana Prakash Welfare Foundation and was recognised by the Chess Association Nagpur, Maharashtra Chess Association, All India Chess Federation, and FIDE.
Top seed IM Kaustav Kundu scored an impressive 10½ points out of 11 rounds, securing the title with a clear margin of 1½ points. Second seed FM Arun Kataria of Rajasthan and Nagpur’s young talent Shaunak Badole scored 9 points each and were placed second and third respectively, based on tie-break scores.
Nagpur’s Kushagra Paliwal, Maharashtra’s Suhan Deshpande and Nilay Kulkarni, and Gujarat’s Arpita Patankar scored 8½ points each and secured the 4th to 7th places according to their tie-break standings.
IM Kaustav received a cash prize of ₹51,000 and a glittering trophy, while FM Arun Kataria was awarded ₹31,000. Shaunak Badole took home a cash prize of ₹26,000.
The prizes were distributed by Chief Guest Shri Swapnil Ahirkar, Social Worker and Director of the Ahirkar Group of Industries. Guests of Honour included Shri Amit Gandhare, Director (Public Relations), Raisoni Group, and Shri Amit Yenurkar, Director, MKH Sancheti Group. Also present on the dais were Shri Bhushan Shriwas, Secretary of the Kalpana Prakash Welfare Foundation and Chess Association Nagpur, and IA Ajinkya Pingale, Chief Arbiter of the event. Shri S.S. Soman, Member of the MCA Observer Committee, conducted the proceedings and delivered the vote of thanks.
In addition to cash prizes for the top 15 finishers, awards were also given in the Best Veteran, Best Nagpur, Best Female (18+), and Best Unrated Player categories. Attractive trophies were presented to the top finishers in the Under-7, 9, 11, 13, and 15 categories.
IA Ajinkya Pingale served as the Chief Arbiter of the event and was assisted by Deputy Chief Arbiter FA Shiva Iyer, FA Sagar Sakhare, FA Amit Tembhurne, SNA Sham Agrawal, SNA Prayas Ambade, SNA Shishir Indurkar, and Prathamesh Machave.
The 18th G.H. Raisoni FIDE Rapid Chess Tournament will begin on 14th June 2025 at 9:30 AM. The Blitz Rating event will follow on 15th June 2025, with the prize distribution for both Rapid and Blitz events scheduled for the evening of 15th June 2025.
