Mizoram’s chess circuit: why a state of 1.2 million keeps producing national masters

Mizoram, a state of 1.2 million people, has produced more national chess masters per capita than any other state in India — a quiet phenomenon with roots in the region’s church halls and school clubs.

The state association runs tournaments in remote villages, and chess has become a fixture of Sunday afternoons across Aizawl.

Coaches credit the game’s fit with Mizo culture: patient, analytical, and communal. The next target is a grandmaster of Mizoram origin.