A Compassionate ‘Move’
Karina Grace, an 11th grader and Sports Captain at Sishya School in Chennai, initiated: ‘Checkmate for Palliative Care’- an awareness driven fundraising campaign aimed to promote the message of palliative care. Conceived through her platform Beyond Grades and in partnership with Pallium India, the initiative used the strategic world of chess to spark conversations around palliative care—care that focuses on comfort, dignity, and compassion for people living with serious illness.
Karina’s interest in neuroscience goes beyond academics; she’s drawn to understanding how health affects not just the body, but emotions and families too. Her curiosity led her to Pallium India, where she discovered what care truly means—comfort, care and compassion when people need it most. Learning about our work inspired her to contribute in a real and practical way.
Chess had been part of her life for years, teaching her patience, focus, and the power of thoughtful decisions. She saw a beautiful parallel: in chess, as in life and care, every move matters. With that insight, Checkmate for Palliative Care was born.
Tournament Highlights
The virtual chess tournament was hosted on the global chess platform Lichess.org on January 26, Republic Day, from 7:30 to 8:30 pm. The tournament drew registrations from 120 individuals from various schools and institutes across Trivandrum, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Bhubaneswar, Delhi and beyond. Age was no bar as participation was open to people from various age groups irrespective of their chess acumen. The games were played in 5+1 rapid format, on one single link. All funds raised were directed towards Pallium India’s patient care activities.
Karina’s outreach efforts extended across her school community, alumni networks, event groups, and social media platforms, with Pallium India supporting the promotional drive. A warm-up game was organised before the main event to familiarise players with the tournament format, adding to the excitement and inclusivity of the initiative.
Among the participants were doctors, children, professionals and students who signed up for this noble cause. A particularly inspiring moment was the participation of Ajin, a care recipient of Pallium India and an avid chess enthusiast, who ranked 23rd in the tournament—symbolising resilience and the inclusive spirit of the event.
Special Mention:
The initiative received an encouraging boost when Telugu–Tamil actor Srikanth took time from his shooting schedule to share a promotional selfie video, wishing participants well and endorsing the cause. Checkmate for Palliative Care was also featured in the January 26 issue of Chennai-based e-news portal ADYAR TIMES: Page 6
78 participants were officially online on the platform, and the energy was palpable as players strategised, competed, and moved their pieces with purpose.
Tournament Snapshot:
Total Games Played: 298 | Average Rating: 1337 | Total Moves Made: 15,821 | White Wins: 53% | Black Wins: 44% | Draws: 3%
Winner
Revlin Ram H
Standard 9, Kanyakumari Corpus Christi School, Nagercoil, TN
Performance: 2318
Games Played: 13
Win Rate: 100%
1st Runner-Up
Ahga Kumaran
Dr. Moopen’s Medical College, Wayanad, Kozhikode
Performance: 2159
Games Played: 10
Win Rate: 90%
2nd Runner-Up
NK Zayan Pasha
2nd Year Mechanical Engineering, IIT Bombay, Mumbai
Performance: 1810
Games Played: 14
Win Rate: 64%
Dr. M. R. Rajagopal shared a special video message congratulating all participants, and every registered player received a digital certificate. The event was widely appreciated, with many participants expressing interest in future tournaments.
Gratitude and the Road Ahead
The window to support Checkmate for Palliative Care remains open. Contributions will directly support patient care activities at Pallium India.
Pallium India extends heartfelt gratitude to Karina’s parents, Dr. Ramani James and Mr. Mani James, for nurturing her initiative and choosing Pallium India as the charity partner.
You can also make your move for compassion. If you have an idea to support palliative care, reach out to donations@palliumindia.org.
Because sometimes, the smallest move can change everything.
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