Ajinkya Rahane, Koneru Humpy Honor West Zone Winners at SOG Grandmasters Series in Mumbai

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The West Zone finals of the inaugural Skillhub Online Games (SOG) Grandmasters Series concluded in Mumbai on Tuesday, with Akshita Jain, Jval Saurin Patel, Darpan Inani, and Tanaji Gargote winning in their respective categories. The tournament, which promotes structured competitive mind sports, saw matches across multiple disciplines, with the winners securing spots in the upcoming national finals in New Delhi.

Winners Announced in Chess and Rummy

As reported by Outlook, Akshita Jain won in the Indian Chess Masters (ICM) women’s category, with Swera Bragance and Dnyanada Unmesh Gujarathi finishing in second and third place, respectively. In the ICM men’s section, Jval Saurin Patel finished first, with Mohammed Nubairshah Shaik and Wagh Suyog taking second and third place.

Darpan Inani won in the ICM for the Blind category, followed by Aryan B Joshi and Kakade Atul in second and third positions. In the Indian Rummy Grandmasters event, Tanaji Gargote finished first, with Manish Shahre and Mangesh Machhi taking second and third place.

With these results, Jain, Patel, Inani, and Gargote have now qualified for the national finals, where they will compete against other regional winners.

Scholarships and Support for Mind Sports

The two-day event also saw 12 finalists receiving the Major Dhyan Chand Scholarship, awarding INR 60,000 per year to support their participation in mind sports. The SOG Grandmasters Series, an initiative aimed at promoting e-sports and mind sports in India, has been structured across district, zonal, and national levels. Following the West Zone finals, the focus now shifts to the North, East, and South Zone qualifiers before the national finals in New Delhi.

Rahane, Humpy on the Tournament’s Growth

The felicitation ceremony in Mumbai included veteran Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane, the West Zone brand ambassador, and chess Grandmaster Koneru Humpy, the tournament’s official brand ambassador.

Commenting on the tournament, Humpy said, “The SOG Grandmasters Series is a step forward for mind sports in India. It is encouraging to see participation from young players, and I am glad to be part of an initiative that promotes skill-based gaming with chess being a key focus.”

Rahane added, “Mind sports require discipline, patience, and strategy—qualities that are important for any athlete. Watching the competitors in Blind Chess was a learning experience at the West Zone Finals.”

Shankar Aggarwal, president of the Skillhub Online Games Federation, noted the tournament’s role in increasing awareness of mind sports, stating, “With figures like Koneru Humpy and Ajinkya Rahane supporting the series, mind sports in India are receiving more attention. We are pleased with the response and aim to develop this platform further.”

As the tournament moves to the next zonal stages, preparations are underway for the national finals, where participants will compete in the concluding round of the SOG Grandmasters Series.

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