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Yerawada Jail team bags gold at ‘Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners’
According to the state prison department, the victory is a significant improvement over last year when six inmates of the Yerawada prison won bronze by defeating another El Salvador team
PUNE: In what is a testament of the transformative power of sports and competition in correctional facilities, a team of nine inmates of the Yerawada Central Prison, Pune, won gold for India by defeating the El Salvador team in the third ‘Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners’. According to the state prison department, the victory is a significant improvement over last year when six inmates of the Yerawada prison won bronze by defeating another El Salvador team.
However, the nine-member Yerawada team had more than its fair share of challenges to tackle to bring home the gold. The Yerawada Central Prison chess team, comprising inmates Shankar Subrav Pawar, Manoj Tulsi Paswan, Satish Bansi Lagad, Dada Mahadev Naiknaware, Vijaypal Vikki Singh, Satish Ashok Pawar, Akshay Rajesh Naik, Lahu Subrav Pawar, and Ashish Vilas Pundalik, honed their skills during their incarceration and demonstrated remarkable chess prowess throughout the championship.
Initially, the state prison department shortlisted over 20 inmates who showed interest and willingness to learn online chess. In August 2023, the inmates’ training was initiated. Nine inmates were finalised after getting the contenders to play rounds against each other. This nine-member team secured top position in the All-India Inter-Central Jail Chess Tournament, and qualified for the third Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners – which is organised to promote rehabilitation and personal growth among inmates. The police said that Satish Pawar was the main player in this tournament, and even trained other inmates like Naiknaware, Pundalik and Naik in the past one year. The authorities informed that Pawar is an engineer, and is lodged in jail in a murder case. Likewise, Pundalik is an MBA graduate and was a lecturer at a college and is lodged in Yerawada Jail in a share market fraud. Pawar now plays very comfortably and wants to become a chess coach after completing his sentence.
The team chess coach, Ketan Khaire, said, “Initially we took efforts but later, these inmates were so involved that they started thinking of chess on a daily basis.” Khaire said that they provided the inmates with 80 chess boards. Pundalik, Naik and Pawar are good players, and want to start their own chess coaching centre after completing their sentence, Khaire said.
Sunil Dhamal, superintendent of Yerawada Jail, said, “We only gave the inmates a chance but they secured the gold medal due to their own efforts.’’ Dhamal said that they have decided to send a proposal to senior officers to grant inmates some relief in their sentence, considering their good behaviour and performance.
The championship, which is open to inmates from correctional facilities across the world, attracts participants from diverse backgrounds and with varying skill levels. This year’s competition featured a range of strong teams from various countries, but the Indian team from Yerawada Central Prison proved to be a force to reckon with. In the finals, the Yerawada inmates faced off against the El Salvador team, a formidable opponent. The match was a closely contested battle of wits and strategy. The Yerawada team displayed exceptional composure and tactical acumen, making precise moves throughout the game. Ultimately, it emerged victorious, securing the gold medal for India.
The success of the Yerawada Central Prison chess team in the Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners serves as an inspiring example of how individuals can channel their talents and passions to overcome adversity and achieve greatness.
