The MKG Scholarship for girl child is the first scholarship under the HelpChess initiative of the ChessBase India Foundation. This is an annual scholarship of Rs.50,000 that will be given to a deserving girl chess player under the age of 18 years. There are certain requirements which need to be fulfilled in order to be eligible for the scholarship. These are mentioned in the article. MK Govindraj always supported kids from poor background for their education. He passed away at the age of 54, but his daughter Anitha and son-in-law Jagadeesh carry on the tradition. So, what are you waiting for? If you fit the bill, fill the Google form to win the Scholarship of Rs.50,000!

The ChessBase India Foundation was launched on the 21st of June 2018. Today we are starting with the first annual scholarship. It's the MKG Scholarship for a girl player below the age of 18 years.

Background of the Scholarship:

MK Govindraj lived in a quiet, small village near Krishnagiri, Tamilnadu. He had a strong passion to support kids who are from poor background for their education. He passed away suddenly at age 54 itself and left a void few years back. To further his service mindset and live his memories, his daughter Anitha Jagadeesh decided to award some educational/ arts/ sports scholarships in a small way for poor children on his behalf. So far this donation has been unstructured but we are happy that via ChessBase India the donation has a name and a purpose now.

MK Govindraj, the person in whose name this scholarship has been instituted

Reason behind the Scholarship:

Says Anitha Jagadeesh, "As chess lovers we always find that the game has given us happiness that does not come from any other endeavor. I believe that chess and education are two sides of the same coin. So, a chess scholarship is also a kind of educational scholarship according to us because chess instills same (if not more) values that education aims to achieve. We chose to give the award to poor and deserving girl in India because India has very rich chess talent but many kids do not have enough opportunity to showcase their talent, grow and live their dreams. It will be a disservice to the society if we allow financial difficulties to shadow real talent from sprouting out and shining. We are determined to be at least a small part of the big journey some of these girls take in their chess life."

The Jagadeeshs are a chess loving family, with their son Siddharth (right) being a strong player . They currently live in Singapore.

Jagadeesh Balakrishnan, husband of Anitha, says, "I am not a kind of guy who will try to leverage on voluntary initiatives and get a name out of it. I believe what the right hand gives even the left hand should not know if it is a pure hearted donation. I accept that our name be used publicly because seeing such small initiatives from normal people like my family will motivate other chess lovers to come forward and donate scholarships as well."

Details of the Scholarship:

The amount of the scholarship will be Rs.50,000. The deserving girl who will be selected for the scholarship will get Rs.6000 in the first month and Rs.4000 on the first of every month for the remaining 11 months. This scholarship will begin from the 1st of August and the beneficiary's account will be credited on the first of every month with the scholarship amount.

Who can apply:

1. Any Indian girl below the age of 18 years

2. Should come from a weak financial background

3. Should have achieved something substantial in the last one year

Please note: The selection of the winner of the scholarship rests with the person/family that has instituted the scholarship and ChessBase India panel. Your chances improve significantly if you have filled the above form.

What is HelpChess?

HelpChess is an initiative by ChessBase India Foundation. It is the banner under which we want to continue all our charitable activities. The name clearly mentions what we are aiming for. We are looking for individuals/organizations who would like to help the talents of Indian chess by donating money or instituting a scholarship or donating in kind, so that the financial burdens on the players who come from humble background are reduced to an extent. The logo of HelpChess clearly shows this philosophy.

There are many people all over the world who want to contribute financially to the growth of Indian chess. There are many talents in India who are in need of these finances. HelpChess aims to act as a bridge. We believe that when ordinary people come together and contribute, extraordinary things can happen to our chess society.

If you are interested to start a scholarship with certain criteria, or you would like to donate some amount or donate in kind (for eg. coaching or training or any other way), please write to us at chessbaseindiafoundation@gmail.com

These are the bank details for you to donate to a good cause:

ChessBase India Foundation

HDFC Bank

A/C No. 50200031999591

Branch Name :- GHATKOPAR EAST-TILAK ROAD

Branch Address :- 001 / 002, Samyak Darshan, Junction Of Tilak Road & Vallabh Baug Lane, Mumbai,

IFSC CODE :- HDFC0000118

The ChessBase India Foundation is currently an Association of Persons (AOP). So, right now donors will not receive any tax benefits under section 80G. However, our efforts of converting it into a Charitable Trust and getting the tax benefits are ongoing and we will achieve it soon.

Related:

Foundation.chessbase.in

The Launch of ChessBase India Foundation

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