Cricket legend Kapil Dev, who led India to its historic 1983 World Cup triumph, has been officially named the Brand Ambassador for the North and East Zone Finals of the SOGF Grandmasters Series, a premier national-level mind sports tournament organized by the Skillhub Online Games Federation (SOGF). The event is set to take place on April 29 and 30 at Hyatt Regency, Gurugram.
Following successful regional events in Bengaluru (South Zone) and Mumbai (West Zone), the tournament now shifts focus to the Northern and Eastern regions, continuing its mission to discover India’s top talents in Chess, Chess for the Blind, and Rummy.
Kapil Dev expressed his excitement about his association with the initiative, saying:
“Mind sports are witnessing an incredible surge worldwide, propelled by high-speed internet, digital platforms, and growing accessibility. I’m delighted to join hands with SOGF to champion this movement in India. Strategic thinking, mental agility, discipline, and problem-solving—these are the qualities mind sports nurture, much like cricket. These skills are essential for shaping individuals who can compete on a global stage, and I’m proud to support an initiative that enhances India’s presence in this arena.”
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SOGF President Shankar Aggarwal welcomed Kapil Dev’s inclusion, stating:
“Having Kapil Dev as our Brand Ambassador for the North and East Zone Finals is a game-changer. His towering legacy in sports and his ability to inspire generations align perfectly with our vision.”
He added that Kapil’s involvement would significantly raise awareness around mind sports and help the organization scale its impact in promoting strategic gaming across the country.
For the whole SOGF Grandmasters Series, the torchbearer is no other than Koneru Humpy, a Padma Shri awardee and India’s most successful chess player. Humpy has a storied career, including several World Youth Championship titles, two Women’s World Rapid Chess Championships (2019, 2024), and gold medals at the Olympiad, Asian Games, and Asian Championships. Her presence in the Mumbai edition of the event once again reinforced her backing of the tournament’s vision to create a long-term pool of talent from India in strategic games. The SOGF Grandmasters Series has already attracted nationwide interest. The online qualifying rounds received over 1.5 lakh entries, and it proved to be one of the country’s largest mind sports tournaments.
The Indian Rummy Grandmasters (IRG) category received more than 78,000 participants, of which 150 made it to the finals.
The Indian Chess Masters (ICM) category received 3,500 registrations, which were whittled down to 32 finalists—half men and half women.
For the Indian Chess Masters for the Blind (ICMB), SOGF partnered with the All India Chess Federation for the Blind (AICFB) to make the competition inclusive and fairly representative. 16 of the best players were selected from zonal qualifiers to compete during the Gurugram finals. The North and East Zone Finals later this year will integrate the physical and digital (phygital) elements of competition to provide a dynamic, engaging experience for participants and spectators alike. Players won’t only be fighting for regional championships—they will also fight to qualify for the SOGF Grandmasters National Finals later this year in New Delhi.
On the national level, participants will battle for elite recognition like:
Indian Rummy Grandmaster
Indian Chess Master
Indian Chess Master for the Blind
Scholarships, Prize Money & International Pathways
The SOGF Grandmasters Series also provides a significant prize purse, with more than ₹60 lakhs of scholarships and cash prizes already awarded through the South and West Zone events. The winners also receive the coveted Major Dhyan Chand Scholarship to aid them for their future in mind sports.
Apart from domestic recognition, best performers will enjoy visibility through SOGF’s international cooperation with organizations such as the International Esports Federation (IESF), International Mind Sports Association (IMSA), and Global Esports Federation (GEF). The partnerships are central towards SOGF’s vision of introducing world-level mind sports events to India in the long run.
