The transcript captures the closing ceremony of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (GCL) Season 4 held in Bengaluru. The event opens with a host highlighting the league’s four‑season journey and its ambition to expand chess’s audience. Organizers announce the dates for GCL Season 5 (September 3‑11 2027). A roster of international arbiters, fair‑play officers, and officials is introduced. Commentator Danya Sachdev delivers a heartfelt thank‑you to visionary sponsor Anand Mahindra, the production team, the Bengaluru audience, and the 36 elite grandmasters who competed for six franchise teams. The ceremony then presents the “Player of the Tournament” award, accompanied by a special Java Silver Knight motorcycle, which is awarded to the Greek‑named champion (Vishy Anand). The champion is interviewed about a mid‑tournament slump, a coaching turnaround, and the upcoming bike prize. Subsequent recognitions include bronze‑medalist teams, runner‑up franchises, and individual players such as Javokir Sindharo, Nihal Sarin, Bibisara Sampayeva, Sara Khadem, and others, as well as coaches and managers. The host repeatedly urges the audience to applaud the winners, culminating in a celebratory call for the season’s champions. The overall tone is enthusiastic, celebratory, and promotional, emphasizing community engagement, the league’s growth, and future plans.
Chapters
4 seasons, 4 chapters, countless battles, and the journey just keeps on growing better and bigger every season. And I want to welcome you to the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League Season 4.
What—
where we're taking GCL and what we want to build in the future. We understand our place in the chess ecosystem. We're here to push the envelope, to push the boundaries, and to bring more and more audiences back into playing chess. If you followed some of our social feeds, you'll notice that there's a lot of people that started watching GCL and have been publicly noting that they would like to get back into playing chess, and that really is something that we're hoping to be able to build on. So really good job, everyone. And Bengaluru, I hope you'll be with us too.
Yeah!
You guys, you guys as fans really showed the world what Bengaluru chess is all about. Phenomenal job, guys. Give yourself a huge hand.
I want to share something very important, which, which we again, thanks to P-Day, are able to share the dates for GCL Season 5 now. And once again, it'll be in September. Please mark the dates. GCL Season 5 is going to be from September 3rd to September 11th in 2027.
Woo!
International Arbiter Vasan B.H. International Arbiter Amit Sharma. International Arbiter Sahana Subramanya. Our Fair Play Officer, International Arbiter and Fair Play Expert Arasu B. From appeal committee, Gunner Josin and Madhupar T.N. So now every tournament Has a daughter, Shah!
Dania Nadeev!
Seth Rogen! Irina Krush!
Harshad Rauta!
Kenny Satsashvili! Give it up for the voices of GTA: Beautiful! May I please call upon the queen of commentary in chess, Danya Sachdev! She is the Olympiad bronze and gold medalist and an Arjuna awardee. Please give it up for Danya!
You know, I've spent so much of my life in chess, first as a player, then as a commentator, but always as a fan. And I think I speak for all of us here when I say that the last 9 days, Global Chess League Season 4, has given us so many moments and memories that are going to live far beyond tonight. And I'm going to use this moment just for a quick personal thanks before we get to business. First and foremost, to Mr. Anand Mahindra sir, who saw the vision. And I think many of you know that it started with one stream back in 2020, and he was watching that stream, and from then the idea of the Global Chess League was born. And here we are today in Bengaluru. He believed in the sport and he made all of that possible. And then I would also like to use this moment to thank Piyush Dubey as well as Gaurav Rakshit. I know the exact kind of hard work that people have been doing from your team, sir, to make all of this possible. And it's truly the people behind the scenes who are able to put up an event like this, a memorable event like this, which feels like it set the benchmark of what chess should look like played in front of a live audience, because it has truly felt like the IPL of chess. And that has been also made possible because of Bengaluru, because of all of you. And I know you've gotten a lot of applause, but one more time, this time for yourself, for being an incredible audience and fan, please give it up for yourself. Now I also want to thank all the players. We started the tournament with 36 elite grandmasters across the world coming in to play for 6 franchises in Each of them played their hearts out. They provided us with so much class, entertainment, sportsmanship, dramatic moments across the board that will live with us for a really long time. So from the bottom of my heart, and I speak for our commentary team, a huge thank you to all the players. But this moment is about recognizing the one superstar amongst the superstars. superstars, the player of the tournament. And this is a special one because at the opening ceremony was unveiled a very special bike, the Java Silver Knight. And whoever would be the best performer would go back home with this bike. And it's a tournament that truly recognizes a great achievement. And to give out the player of the tournament, I've got Vishaly Anand sir here already with us.
Thank you.
And ladies and gentlemen, please give it up for the player of the tournament. It is the Greek goddess.
It is—
Woo!
Congratulations. And there's more. Thank you so much, Vishy. Uh, a very special moment, winning the Player of the Tournament award. First of all, I think I have to ask you, do you know how to ride a bike?
Unfortunately not, but I guess plenty of motivation to learn.
It's about time.
You have a few days before it gets to you. We promise, uh, we'll find a way to do that. You know, like you said, motivation. Your chess has given us a lot of motivation, but the Global Chess League this year did not start— it was challenging for you in the first half, and I think a true sign of a champion is to make the comeback. And my question to you is, what changed After the first half, you scored four and a half out of five to power your team to championship. What happened?
Well, I have to thank one man, the coach of the team, Abhi Bhatt, the beast.
Yeah, I finally made the correct decision of asking him for help.
No, he was super great. He helped me a lot to prepare, but also mentally. He reminded me I should, you know, enjoy because it got really hard at some point. I was losing game after game, but yeah, he reminded me why we play chess after all. So yeah, huge thanks to him.
Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for our bronze medalists, the 4 US American champions!
Understood, order function.
Kindly solicitate them with the medics.
Javokir Sindharo. Nihal Sarin.
Daniel Dubo.
Bibisara Sampayeva. Sara Khadem. Mafandria Morenzi.
The coach, Sreenath Narayanan. And the team manager, Sampit Mishra.
Give it up for the Spiders American Campus!
These are your runner-ups for season 4. Give it up for the Alpine ABM Vipers!
Magnus Carlsen. Give it up for the A5 Indian partners! You have given us some exceptional games that will be looked back on.
I call upon the winners of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League Season 4. Give it up!
