Indian U-11 girls win bronze at ASEAN Age Group Chess Championship in Singapore
Synopsis
Three schoolgirls from Andhra Pradesh and Mumbai outcompeted teams from 27 nations to bring India a bronze at the ASEAN Age Group Chess Championship in Singapore — winning it on tie-break after finishing level with hosts Singapore on 14.5 points. It is the latest proof that India's junior chess pipeline, long overshadowed by its senior stars, is quietly becoming a force of its own.
Key Takeaways
India's U-11 girls' team won bronze at the ASEAN Age Group Chess Championship at Tampines Hub, Singapore .
The team — Varenya Lakshmi Vaka , Aligiri Amrutha Hemal , and Maya Siddharth Narula — scored 14.5 points , claiming bronze on tie-break over silver medallist Singapore .
Vietnam won gold with 19.5 points ; Singapore took silver on the same 14.5 points as India.
The championship featured 700+ players from 27 countries , concluding on Tuesday night .
Chief coach Durga Nagesh Guttula of Mumbai Chess Centre credited the result to India's growing junior chess depth and international exposure.
India's under-11 girls' team clinched a bronze medal at the ASEAN Age Group Chess Championship, held at Tampines Hub, Singapore, finishing with 14.5 points in a fiercely competitive field of over 700 players from 27 countries. The championship concluded on Tuesday night, marking another milestone for Indian junior chess on the international stage.
The Team and Final Standings
The Indian trio comprised Varenya Lakshmi Vaka and Aligiri Amrutha Hemal of Andhra Pradesh, and Maya Siddharth Narula of Mumbai, who represents the Mumbai Chess Centre (MCC). The three players combined for a total of 14.5 points across the tournament.
Vietnam took gold with an impressive 19.5 points, while hosts Singapore claimed silver also on 14.5 points. India secured bronze over Singapore on tie-break criteria, underscoring the razor-thin margins at the top of the standings.
Scale of the Championship
The ASEAN Age Group Chess Championship at Tampines Hub drew participation from 27 nations and featured more than 700 players, making it one of the most significant junior chess events in the Asian region. The competition spanned multiple age categories and formats, testing players across classical, rapid, and blitz disciplines.
What the Coach Said
Durga Nagesh Guttula, chief coach at the Mumbai Chess Centre (MCC), praised the team's showing. 'Indian players have performed extremely well at this championship and have once again shown the strength and depth of Indian junior chess. What is particularly encouraging is that our players have been competitive and have made their presence felt across different age categories and events,' he said.
Guttula added: 'These international championships provide invaluable exposure to our young players and help them develop the confidence and experience required to compete at the highest level.'
India's Growing Junior Chess Pedigree
India has a consistent record at age-group chess events, regularly winning medals at both continental and global levels across classical, rapid, and blitz formats. This bronze at Singapore reinforces the country's depth in junior chess, with talent emerging from states like Andhra Pradesh and metropolitan centres like Mumbai. The result is also a testament to the grassroots coaching infrastructure, with academy-backed players like Narula — trained at the MCC — competing at par with Asia's best. With India's senior chess stars at an all-time high in world rankings, the junior pipeline feeding into that system appears healthier than ever.
Point of View
The talent base is visibly broadening. Yet finishing level on points with hosts Singapore — and winning only on tie-break — is also a reminder that the gap between India and Southeast Asia's best junior sides is narrowing from both directions. The real question is whether the coaching infrastructure at the grassroots level can sustain this momentum as these players move into the under-13 and under-15 brackets, where international competition sharpens considerably.
NationPress
20 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Indian players won bronze at the ASEAN Age Group Chess Championship?
The bronze-winning Indian U-11 girls' team comprised Varenya Lakshmi Vaka and Aligiri Amrutha Hemal of Andhra Pradesh, and Maya Siddharth Narula of Mumbai, who trains at the Mumbai Chess Centre. Together they scored 14.5 points to finish on the podium.
Where and when was the ASEAN Age Group Chess Championship held?
The championship was held at Tampines Hub in Singapore and concluded on Tuesday night, 19 August. It drew over 700 players from 27 countries across multiple age groups and formats.
How did India secure bronze over Singapore if both scored the same points?
Both India and Singapore finished with 14.5 points. India was awarded the bronze medal over Singapore's silver based on the tournament's tie-break criteria, which are standard tiebreakers used in team chess competitions.
Who won gold at the ASEAN Age Group Chess Championship?
Vietnam won the gold medal in the U-11 girls' category with an outstanding tally of 19.5 points, finishing well clear of both Singapore and India.
How strong is India's record in junior chess internationally?
India has a consistent track record of winning medals at age-group chess events at both continental and global levels across classical, rapid, and blitz formats. The ASEAN bronze adds to a growing list of international podium finishes for Indian junior teams.
