Two students from Indian School Bausher in Oman secured a total of six medals while representing India at the Asian Schools Team Chess Championship held in Russia. Niyola Pinto and Ilaan Shafeek competed across classical, rapid, and blitz chess formats, showcasing their skills against a field of strong international competitors.
Niyola Pinto, playing as part of the Yakshini Niyola Rajeswari team, earned a gold medal in rapid chess along with silver medals in both classical and blitz categories. Meanwhile, Ilaan Shafeek, competing with his team that included Neithal and Arnav, won three silver medals across all three formats.
Their performances demonstrated a high level of strategic thinking and adaptability. Classical chess emphasized deep calculation and long-term planning, while rapid and blitz formats required quicker decision-making and sustained concentration under time pressure. The students’ capacity to excel across these diverse formats was noted as a reflection of their dedication and thorough preparation.
The Indian School Bausher community—comprising school management, teachers, students, and parents—expressed pride in the achievements of Niyola and Ilaan. The school highlighted how chess contributes to the development of analytical skills, patience, discipline, and problem-solving abilities, complementing the academic curriculum and fostering holistic student growth.
Parents of the two players acknowledged the support and encouragement provided by the school’s leadership and faculty, crediting the institution for creating an environment conducive to nurturing talents beyond academics. They also expressed hope that these successes would motivate other students to engage in chess and similar extracurricular pursuits while maintaining academic performance.
The six medals won by the Indian School Bausher students mark a significant milestone for the individuals and their school community, reinforcing the value of supporting extracurricular activities in preparing young talent for competitive platforms at both national and international levels. Their accomplishment has brought recognition to the school and has been a source of pride for the Indian community in Oman.