South Mumbai Chess Academy(SMCA)

Home / About Us Humble Beginnings with a Dream OUR STORY It started with six students In 1996, FM Balaji Guttula rented a small room in South Mumbai with just six students. At the time, he was a competitive chess player himself — representing India at the Commonwealth Championships — juggling his own tournament preparation during the day with coaching children in the evenings. Mr Durga Nagesh Guttula is the cofounder and another director. Exciting stories about legendary games and brilliant moves kept the children hooked to the game and made them more curious. The footfall increased in no time — within two years, it touched 250 kids at the same centre! Over the years, SMCA managed to turn several hobby players into competitive players vying for honours at the national and international arena. Thirty years later, South Mumbai Chess Academy has grown into one of the most recognized chess institutions in the country. But the philosophy hasn't changed. Every student still gets the same thing those first six did: a coach who pays attention, a structured path to improve, and the belief that chess isn't just a game — it's a way of thinking. “We don't just teach moves. We teach children ho