At 60, Ebenezer Joseph is a bundle of energy. He coaches children, trains teachers, competes in tournaments and also serves as counsellor for educational institutions, strongly advocating the inclusion of chess in school curricula.

Recently, the Anna Nagar resident, who works as an Audit Supervisor in the Indian Audit & Accounts Department (IA & AD) at the Finance and Audit Office in Egmore, made headlines after winning three gold medals in the classical, rapid and blitz events in the 60+ category at the Commonwealth Chess Championships held in Kalutara, Sri Lanka.

Ebenezer was thrilled with the achievement, especially since he had only hoped to return with at least a bronze medal. “I expected to win one bronze medal, but to win three gold medals was unbelievable. Though I won in the 60+ category, I played in the Open section alongside top young Grandmasters such as P. Iniyan and S. Rohith Krishna, besides FIDE Master Sakline Mostafa Sajid, Candidate Master S. Sivathanujan and Woman Candidate Master Ananya Raman. It felt great,” he said.

Speaking about the demands of competing in three formats, which often meant spending long hours at the board, Ebenezer said the tournament was physically and mentally exhausting. “The pressure was immense because on certain days we had to play as many as eight rounds. My matches started at 4 p.m. and finished at 8 p.m., so much so that on the last day I hardly knew what was happening on the board!” he said with a smile.

Having spent more than 34 years with the Indian Audit & Accounts Department, Ebenezer felt the process of obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from employers to participate in international tournaments should be simplified. “When a player is representing the country, the process of getting an NOC from the employer to take part in an international event should be made easier,” he said.

Ebenezer continues to balance his professional commitments with his passion for chess and social service. “I will continue playing, continue trying to help more sportspeople get recruited into Government offices and continue working with tribal communities,” said the 60-year-old, who is also a Senior Lead Instructor for FIDE Chess in Education Commission and is set to retire from IA & AD in November this year.