Bilaspur, India : The Coal India Inter-Company Chess Tournament 2025–26, hosted by South Eastern Coalfields Limited, concluded successfully on March 14 at Vasant Club in the Vasant Vihar Township.
The closing ceremony was attended by N. Franklin Jayakumar, Director (Technical/Operations) of SECL, who served as the chief guest. Other senior officials present included 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 labor unions and other senior officers.
Addressing the gathering, Jayakumar said such tournaments are not only about competition but also about strengthening camaraderie, teamwork, and cooperation among employees from different subsidiary companies. He praised the participants for their enthusiasm, sportsmanship, and dedication, emphasizing that participation and fair play are as important as winning.
In the tournament results, Western Coalfields Limited emerged as the champion, while host South Eastern Coalfields Limited secured second place. Mahanadi Coalfields Limited finished third.
The three-day tournament witnessed enthusiastic participation from teams representing all eight subsidiaries of Coal India Limited, along with players from Singareni Collieries Company Limited. Throughout the competition, players displayed impressive strategic skills, concentration, and high-quality gameplay, making the event a memorable sporting gathering for the coal industry.