With the efforts of International Master Lanka Ravi, NEED Foundation, and APCA officials, Andhra Pradesh is witnessing a mega Chess training camp by none other than Grandmaster Elizbar Ubilava, trainer of Viswanathan Anand, Harikrishna from India and Karpov from Russia.
The coaching camp is inaugurated by Shri G.Ashok Kumar IAS, Managing Director HMWS&S. The function was presided over by Shri A.Narasimha Reddy, Vice president AICF, Chairman APCA and Chairman Bar Council association of Andhra Pradesh. Shri K.S.Toshniwal, Plant Head of CTO Unit-2 , Dr.Reddy Labs, one of main promoters of the training camp, was guest of honor. The president and secretary of APCA, Major Shiva Prasad and Shri K.Kanna Reddy also participated in the inaugural cermony.Chief Guest Shri Asok Kumar, while addressing the audience told that he wished more children from the state of Andhra Pradesh has to take up the intellectual game of Chess and get benefited by such programs organized. He also said, Former president of United States of America Mr.Bill Clinton, suggested the educational authorities of US to introduce Chess as a subject at school level.
Mr.Lanka Ravi, Convener of Cyber Chess Academy welcomed the gathering and advised the players to take the advantage of this coaching camp sponsored by ONGC and Dr.Reddy Labs. GM Ubilava is also being assisted by FIDE trainer G.B.Joshi of Air India
The supporting groups for this camp are Need Foundation, Cyber Chess Academy, APCA and AICF. Cyber Chess Academy convener, IM Lanak Ravi, said that this is the first ever Grandmaster Training Camp to be held in Andhra Pradesh. Incredibly, this camp has more than 12 Asian medal winners and many aspiring title players. Indian Hume pipe has also extended their support to the camp.
About the Camp: GM Ubilava will be the head of the camp. He would be supported by IM Lanka Ravi, ONGC, and FIDE trainer G.B.Joshi of Air India.
About the Head Trainer:
- Achievements as player:
- Winner of more than 30 International tournaments,
- Two times champion of Georgia.
- Biography as a chess trainer:
- 1974-78 Coached Nana Ioseliani (WGM) Former vice champion of world.
- 1978-88 Coached Nona Gapridanshvilli 5 times World Women’s Champion.
- 1986-89 Coached An.Karpov World champion for many years.
- 1994-2001, 2003-2005 Coached Viswanathan Anand
- Coach of Indian Olympic team in 2004, 2006 and 2008
About Lanka Ravi:
- Asian Gold medalist & Olympiad player.
- International Chess Master and Grandmaster Norm holder.
- Indian Team member in Chess Olympiads.
- National & Asian Rapid Chess Champion.
- National B Chess Champion 2006.
- Represented India in more than 50 International Chess Tournaments with success in various countries like Russia, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany, UAE, Qatar, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong etc..
- One Gold medal in Asian Team chess championship held at Jodhpur from 08-04-2003 to 16-04-2003.
- Member of Indian Team which won Bronze medal.
- The undersigned built a very strong team and has successfully achieved inter unit PSPB titles form 2003-2008 making ONGC win consecutively for 5years, which is record in PSPB chess history.
- Won PSPB Individual chess championship
- Ensured talents scouting and brought players like G.Rohith, Padmini royhth, Prathyusha, V.A.V Rajesh who all have achieved Asian age group titles.
About G.B.Joshi:
- FIDE Certified trainer
- Trained players like Parimarajan Negi, Prince Bajaj, Tania Sachdev, vibhava Suri, Shiv Kousla, and National U-9 Champion Harshal Sahi.
- Represented as Indian Trainer for world youth twice in Greece once in France. Also for Asian Team once in Singapore and twice in Iran.
- 5 times National A players and National runner up in Rapid chess for twice.
About the players:
| S.No | Name of Player | Achievements |
| 1 | Shyam Nikil | World Youth Olympiad U-16 Gold medalistU-17 National ChampionPink City International Champion |
| 2 | Pallabi Roy | Bronze Medal in U-12 Girls Asian Youth Chess Championship-05Gold medal in U-9 Girls International Youth chess Festival in France. |
| 3 | R.bharathi | National sub Junior Girls ChampionWon bronze medal in IV Children of Asian Games. |
| 4 | Debasis Das | U-18 Asian BronzeWorld U-16 Bronze |
| 5 | Krutikka | Asian Gold medalist U-16 girls in 2004Under-17 National ChampionCompleted WIM title |
| 6 | Sahaja Sree | Asian World Commonwealth U-10 championNational U-9 Gold 2005 |
| 7 | Deeptamsh Reddy | Selected for U-16 Olympiad 2009 |
| 8 | Grahesh | |
| 9 | Anand Reddy | |
| 10 | Rama krishna | All India Interuniversity – Bronze Medal |
| 11 | M.Vinay Kumar | U-25 National Champion |
| 12 | Revanth Reddy | Asian Gold medalist U-8, 2007 |
| 13 | V.A.V.Rajesh | U-10 Asian Champ 2005, U-17 Gold 2008 |
| 14 | Surya Ram | |
| 15 | M.Suryanarayana | |
| 16 | Anmol | |
| 17 | Harshal Sahi | U-9 National Gold 2008 |
| 18 | Arunima Karul | Won U-15 Asian schools Championship |
| 19 | Krishna Prasad | |
| 20 | Atishay Ajmera |
Venue: Taj Tristar (3-star Hotel, Secunderabad.
Method of Camp:
- For the first time, many young players would get an opportunity to be trained by a coach of the stature of Ubilava, who produced three world champions, namely, Viswanathan Anand, Nona Gaprindashvili, and A.Karpov.
- This camp will have 8 hours training sessions comprising of 6 hours lectures by GM Ubilava, and 2 hours of practice sessions. IM Lanka Ravi and GB Joshi will supervise the practice sessions area.
- Andhra Pradesh Interest: AP boys and Girls like Sahjashree, V.A.V. Rajesh, Deeptamsh Reddy, and Lalith Babu, M.Suryanarayana, Revanth Reddy will be immensely benefited by this camp.