WestBridge Anand Chess Academy

The WestBridge Anand Chess Academy (WACA) is one of the most impactful chess development programs in the world. Founded in December 2020 by five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand in partnership with WestBridge Capital, the academy identifies and mentors India's most promising young chess players through a prestigious fellowship program.

WACA's track record speaks for itself. Its initial cohort of five fellows included Dommaraju Gukesh, who went on to become the youngest-ever classical World Chess Champion, along with Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa (currently ranked among the world's top 10), Vaishali Rameshbabu, Nihal Sarin, and Raunak Sadhwani. Each fellow receives personalized mentorship from Anand himself, along with support from a founding mentor team that includes GM Sandipan Chanda, GM Artur Yusupov, GM Grzegorz Gajewski, and GM Boris Gelfand.

The academy's mission goes beyond individual results. WACA aims to build a sustainable pipeline of world-class chess talent from India, providing the kind of structured, high-level training that was previously only available in traditional chess powerhouses. The fellowship covers financial support, training camps, tournament preparation, and access to elite coaching networks.

In just four years, WACA has helped produce multiple super-grandmasters and a World Champion, establishing itself as one of the most successful chess development programs in history. The academy represents a new model for how private investment and elite mentorship can accelerate talent development in chess.