Debanjan Sinha, Navika Jaiswal bag top spots at East Singhbhum District Chess Championship

Jamshedpur, April 20: The 46th East Singhbhum District Chess Championship–2026 concluded at the JRD Tata Sports Complex, with young participants showcasing impressive talent over three days from April 17 to 19.

Organized by the East Singhbhum District Chess Association (ESDCA), the tournament featured 11 intense rounds. The prize distribution ceremony was held on April 19 in the presence of Chief Guest Mukul Vinayak Choudhuri, Chief Sports, Tata Steel and President of the association, along with Guest of Honour Narendra Kumar Tiwari, Vice-President, ESDCA.

Debanjan Sinha emerged as the overall champion, securing the top position with 9½ points. Arijit Ghosh finished second with 9 points, while Navieka Jaiswal was the top-ranked female player and secured third place overall with 9 points. Das Bhola Nath and Sankalp Kumar secured fourth and fifth positions respectively, both scoring 8½ points.

Other top performers included Kumar Sankalp (6th), Sharma Jagannath Prasad (7th), Debanjan Sasmal (8th), Shloak Saurav Mishra (9th), and Bhanu Naga Sai Siva Ram Jami (10th), each delivering commendable performances in the competition.

The event was conducted under the supervision of Chief Arbiter IA Chandan Kumar Prasad and Deputy Chief Arbiter IA Vishal Kumar Minz. ESDCA General Secretary and tournament technical director Jayant Kumar Bhuyan, along with arbiters Chiranjilal, A.K. Singh, Purbi Ghosh, and Manoj Pandey, were also present.

The championship highlighted the growing popularity of chess in the district and provided a platform for young players to demonstrate their skills. Organizers appreciated the participants and expressed hope for even greater participation in future editions.