THE ORISSA STATE CHESS ASSOCIATION is a society formed in the year 1959 and registered under Societies Registration Act , through the efforts of Sri K.C. Mitra. He became its founder secretary and Sri V. Ramanathan, I.A.S., its first president with an elected executive body. It was registered in the year 1964-65 and since then it has been conducting chess tournaments regularly keeping in mind to promote chess from the grass-root level. Besides organizing chess tournaments the association is giving free chess coaching. Some of the were trained under us. The Chess revolution in Orissa started when ‘The Telegraph’, the Calcutta-based leading English daily of eastern India introduced the Bhubaneswar leg of “The Telegraph Schools’ Chess Championship” in 2001 due to the efforts of then Secretary, Sri Gagan Behari Dash. More than 270 children participated every year.

The persons due to whose effort this association was formed were Mr Khitish Mishra, Mr J.M. Joardar, Mr Kesabananda Das and Mr K.D. Pillai, Mr. B.N. Acharya. Mr Arati Bijoy Mohanty joined them 3-4 years later and still carrying on.

We have produced many top chess players of the country like IM Padmini Rout, WGM Kiran Monisha Mohanty, Ruttumbara Bidhar, IM S. Satyapragyan, FM Soumya Ranjan Mishra, IM Anwesh Upadhayaya and Manas Parida & several other Players, who have brought laurels to the State.