Vedant panesar

Old Bridge Mutual Fund: Vedant Panesar, hailing from Mumbai, secured a place in the Challengers section of Chess 2026 after winning the qualifiers, held in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands.

Scoring 6/9, Panesar finished half a point ahead of a competitive international field and booked his place in one of the most prestigious tournaments.

Speaking about his win, Vedant said, "Playing at Wijk aan Zee is a dream of every chess player. I read a quote there that said, 'Before dying, people want to visit Prague, but for a chess player, it’s about winning at Wijk aan Zee.' Winning at Wijk aan Zee, where the best chess players in the world compete, is truly special. Qualifying for the Tata Steel Challengers 2026 is a dream come true, and I hope to return next year as a Grandmaster."