Chennai: Kerala's first chess International Master Varugeese Koshy passed away on Wednesday. The 66-year-old succumbed to cancer at his Valasaravakkam residence. Koshy is survived by his wife and two sons.
Koshy was born at Adoor in Pathanamthitta district. Koshy represented India in several International chess tournaments. He was also the president of the Chess Players Forum India.
He has mentored Grandmasters such as P Harikrishna, S L Narayanan and N R Visakh among others.
"I am deeply saddened to learn the news of my former coach International Master Varugeese Koshy sir passing away. He played a crucial role in shaping my career and helping me become an International master. Under his guidance, I learned not only chess but also discipline, ethics, and hard work. A wonderful person who was instrumental in shaping the careers of many Indian chess players including me. RIP Koshy Sir," wrote Harikrishna on X.