Established in 1940, the Coimbatore District Chess Association (CDCA) holds the distinction of being the earliest known chess organization in India, predating the Tamil Nadu State Chess Association (1947) and the All India Chess Federation (1950).

How has the CDCA contributed to Indian Chess ?

Coimbatore is a city of many firsts in the realm of chess. The inaugural FIDE-rated round robin chess tournament, known as the Mariammal Mahalingam, took place here in 1983. This historic event marked the occasion when five-time world champion V. Anand received his first FIDE rating. Fast forward four years, and Anand achieved his third and final Grandmaster norm, earning the title of Grandmaster at the Sakthi Finance Grandmaster tournament, also held in Coimbatore.

The Coimbatore District Chess Association, the oldest chess association in India, recently celebrated its Platinum Jubilee. It was founded in 1940 with Shri GK Sundaram as its first president. He later presided over the Tamil Nadu State Chess Association, a pioneer in Indian chess. Coimbatore has significantly contributed to the growth of chess in India, especially in Tamil Nadu, with activities tracing back to the 1920s.

Over 75 years, the Coimbatore DCA has nurtured numerous national and state champions and hosted various national and international tournaments. Shri. N. Mahalingam, from Pollachi, a town in the Coimbatore district known for agriculture and industry, was instrumental in the growth of chess. He served as president of both the All India Chess Federation and the Tamil Nadu State Chess Association, even before Vishy Anand’s emergence in chess.