“Chess for Freedom Conference at Yerwada Central Jail: Inmates Find Hope and Joy in the Game”

The game of chess has taken on a new meaning at Yerwada Central Jail in Pune, where inmates are using it as a tool for freedom and mental stability. The second ‘Chess for freedom’ conference, organized by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) in partnership with IndianOil, saw officials and delegates engaging with inmates in friendly games of chess.

The event, held in a beautifully decorated setting with chess boards laid out under a mandap, aimed to break the stigma surrounding incarcerated individuals. The prison’s chess team, trained under IndianOil’s ‘Parivartan-Prison to Pride’ initiative, had already made a mark by winning a gold medal for India in an online chess championship.

While the men’s team had been playing chess for some time, it was only recently that training was started for female inmates. The women prisoners, who spend their days farming and training in chess, expressed their joy at being able to play the game and engage with international delegates during the event.

The presence of FIDE delegates, IndianOil officials, and representatives from other countries added to the positive atmosphere at the prison. Amitabh Gupta, Additional Director General of Police of Prison and Correctional Services, emphasized the importance of prisoner reform through activities like chess training.

For the inmates, chess has become more than just a game. It has provided them with a sense of focus, distraction from worries, and mental stability. The dedication and commitment shown by the inmates in their chess training sessions impressed Sergejs Klimakovs, who runs a similar programme in Latvia.

Overall, the ‘Chess for freedom’ conference at Yerwada Central Jail showcased the transformative power of chess in providing hope, positivity, and a sense of freedom to those behind bars.