From IIT dropout dream to chess success: He left home, became Rajasthan’s first Arena Grandmaster, built academy in 30 countries

Chandrajeet Singh Rajawat turned away from an IIT path as a teenager to pursue chess, leaving home in 2014 with little financial security. His early years included sleeping at stations and stadiums, losing his phone and struggling to enter tournaments. After establishing himself as a player, he moved into coaching and later built the Kingdom of Chess academy, now active across around 30 countries.