The AP State Under-7 Open & Girls Chess Championship – 2026 concluded on a grand and memorable note at Dwarka Tirumala, witnessing enthusiastic participation from across Andhra Pradesh. The tournament recorded an impressive 106 participants, with 67 players in the Open (Boys) category and 39 players in the Girls category, reflecting the strong grassroots development of chess in the state .
Champions of the Future
Open (Boys) Category
Champion: Suhrit Karri (NTR District) – 6 Points
Runner-up: Joshua Magnus Katarapu (Palnadu District)
Girls Category
Champion: Priyanshika Vishali (Krishna District) – 6 Points
Runner-up: Sai Sri Baswa Veda (Vizianagaram District) – 5 Points
These young talents showcased remarkable skill, confidence, and competitive spirit, signaling a bright future for Andhra Pradesh chess.
Exceptional Support & Hospitality
A key highlight of the event was the outstanding support extended by local institutions:
Arya Vysya Kalyana Mandapam Trust Chairman Sri Rampandu Garu generously provided the venue at a highly subsidized cost, enabling smooth conduct of the championship.
Dwaraka Tirumala Devasthanam extended remarkable hospitality by providing free food for all participants, parents, and officials, which was widely appreciated.
Organising Team Efforts
Organising a state-level championship in a rural town like Dwarka Tirumala was a challenging task, but it was executed flawlessly due to the dedicated efforts of the organizing team:
Sri P. Kiran Kumar (President, Eluru District) and Sri K. Nageswara Rao (Secretary), Sri P Kumar Swamy , Convener Website Committee, Mrs Joshmika, Mr Manikanta Rao, Chief Arbiter, worked tirelessly in coordinating all arrangements. Sri N. M. Phani Kumar, Organising Secretary and Tournament Committee Convener, efficiently supervised the entire event, ensuring smooth execution.
A special attraction of the tournament was the thoughtfully designed mementos prepared by Sri Nageswara Rao, featuring working stills of the players. This unique initiative brought immense joy to parents and made the event even more memorable.
Adding to the success, parents themselves actively volunteered and supported the organizing team, reflecting the strong community spirit behind the event.
Building the Next Generation
The championship saw participation from multiple districts nearly 23 districts, highlighting the growing reach of chess across Andhra Pradesh.
All players were awarded medals and mementos, encouraging young children to pursue the game seriously from an early age .
ACA Leadership Message
Sri KVV Sarma Chairman, Sri A. Suresh President & K Jagadish, Secretary, Andhra Chess Association, congratulated all the organizers, winners, participants, and parents for making the championship a grand success. They appreciated the collective effort and emphasized the importance of such grassroots events in shaping future champions.
The AP State U-7 Championship 2026 stands as a shining example of how community support, dedicated organizers, and enthusiastic young players can come together to create a truly successful sporting event.
With such strong foundations at the Under-7 level, Andhra Pradesh chess is clearly entering a new golden era of growth and excellence.
ACA