Children undergoing cancer treatment in Mumbai and Chennai get chess coaching classes  

St. Jude India ChildCare Centres introduce chess program for children undergoing cancer treatment in Mumbai and Chennai hospitals.

Children staying at St. Jude India ChildCare Centres (St. Judes) who are undergoing cancer treatment in Mumbai and Chennai hospitals, have been recently introduced with a chess program that aims to enhance their memory, concentration and confidence.  

For the underprivileged parents from across India who bring their children to cities like Mumbai for cancer treatment, St. Judes, a non-profit, provides them free accommodation for as long as their treatment period continues in the hospitals. 

On February 11, 2025, a Mumbai-based sports coaching organisation, ChessMates Academy, introduced a chess coaching session for the St. Judes Cotton Green Campus children and parents. Later, on February 18, the program was extended to the Kharghar centre. On February 16, the program was also introduced in Royapettah, Chennai centre.  

Melwin Mascarenhas, coach and co-founder of ChessMates Academy, Mumbai said, “Chess helps the children stay focused, think ahead, and build confidence—all while having fun.”

The chess coaching initiative was taken by St. Jude’s Third Circle team that was formed in 2019 to provide emotional support to families residing at its centres through various educational and interactive initiatives. 

On the first day of the session, the children and their caregivers were explained about chess, its benefits in improving focus, problem-solving, and strategic thinking. The children were introduced to ‘ChessPa’, a fun grandfather-like chess character for engagement. After the introduction, chessboards along with a demo chessboard, and a ChessPa book were provided to the children to enrol them in the program.   

Anil Nair, Chief Executive Officer of St. Judes said that the Chess Coaching Program is an opportunity for the children to engage their minds and build resilience. “Encouraging children to take up chess not only offers a fun and intellectually stimulating activity but also helps them build confidence and sportsmanship. Children were provided with chessboards from the academy as a gift. At present we have started the program only in Mumbai and Chennai, we will roll out in other cities soon.”