Coal India Inter-Company Chess Tournament 2025–26 Concludes at SECL

The Coal India Inter-Company Chess Tournament 2025–26, hosted by South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), concluded successfully on March 14, 2026, at the Vasant Club in SECL’s Vasant Vihar Township in Bilaspur.

N. Franklin Jayakumar, Director (Technical/Operations), SECL, attended the closing ceremony as the Chief Guest.

The ceremony was also attended by Biranchi Das, Director (Human Resources), D. Sunil Kumar, Director (Finance), Himanshu Jain, Chief Vigilance Officer, and Ramesh Chandra Mahapatra, Director (Technical – Planning/Projects), along with representatives of various trade unions and senior officials of the company.

Addressing the gathering, Jayakumar said that such sporting events provide a platform for healthy competition while strengthening camaraderie, teamwork, and mutual understanding among employees of Coal India’s subsidiary companies. He appreciated the enthusiasm, discipline, and sportsmanship displayed by the participants and emphasized that participation and the spirit of fair play are as important as winning.

During the ceremony, the Chief Guest and other dignitaries felicitated the winning and runner-up teams.

Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) emerged as the champion of the tournament, while South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) secured the runner-up position. Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) finished third.

The three-day tournament witnessed enthusiastic participation from teams representing all eight subsidiary companies of Coal India Limited, along with participants from Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL). Players displayed a high level of concentration, strategic thinking, and competitive spirit throughout the competition.