Lost dad at 3, mom's belief stayed: Aravindh's rise to becoming first Indian at EWC 2026

Key Takeaways

• Aravindh Chithambaram with his mother Deivanai (Special Arrangements) Ticket to Esports World Cup 2026 Aravindh Chithambaram (second from left) A grandfather’s lesson Road to Esports Chess World Cup (Photo from Chess.com) 'My family has been a great support' After I lost my father, I lived with my grandparents and my mom.
• So I did not feel like missing my father; they were with me together.
• GM Aravindh Chithambaram The mentors and sacrifices behind Aravindh’s rise Aravindh Chithambaram with RB Ramesh (Special Arrangements) ALSO READ NEW DELHI: A saying becomes a proverb because it has stood the test of time.
• ‘Patience is the key’ is one such saying.
• In today's world, where many are busy trying to figure things out without losing hope, not giving up, staying persistent in their pursuit, and staying loyal to their motives, people like 26-year-old Aravindh Chithambaram are a reminder of why such sayings continue to hold true.After months of failed qualification attempts across Titled Tuesdays, Chess.com play-ins and elite online events, the Grandmaster (GM) from Madurai, Tamil Nadu finally broke through at DreamHack Atlanta earlier this week, becoming the first Indian to qualify for the 2026 Esports Chess World Cup, set to be hosted in Paris from August 11 to August 15."I've been trying it for many months to qualify through other tournaments," Aravindh Chithambaram smiled while speaking exclusively to TimesofIndia.com.Representing one of India's premier Esports organisations, S8UL, for the second straight year, Aravindh will now be taking on one of the four other players who finish at the top of the Last Chance Qualifier for two spots in the Group Stage of the main event."I'm really happy that I qualified for the Esports World Cup," Aravindh added.