MUMBAI, India — Seventeen-year-old bridge prodigy Anshul Bhatt is spearheading a nationwide campaign to revive the classic mind sport of contract bridge across India, aiming to replicate the massive global success of Indian chess. Inspired by chess legend Viswanathan Anand’s observation that bridge in India currently stands where chess did two decades ago, Bhatt is leveraging recent world titles, youth mentorship programs, and academic research to dismantle long-standing stereotypes and build a modern, youth-centric ecosystem for the game.
Historical Roots and the Modern Decline
Bridge once enjoyed prestigious status in India, famously played by founding figures such as freedom fighter and statesman Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel during the mid-20th century. Over the subsequent decades, however, the card game faded from the public eye and struggled to attract younger generations. This decline stems largely from a persistent societal misconception in India that associates card games with gambling rather than intellectual rigor.
Unlike chess, which secured widespread institutional support and school integration, bridge remained confined to private clubs and older demographics. The Bridge Federation of India (BFI) has long sought to counter this trend, but structural challenges and a lack of visible youth icons slowed progress. The emergence of Bhatt, who recently secured multiple under-16 and under-21 world championship titles, has suddenly injected new momentum into the sport.
The Catalyst: Anshul Bhatt’s Multi-Pronged Crusade
Bhatt’s strategy to revitalize the sport extends far beyond his personal competitive victories. The teenager has initiated structured mentoring programs designed to introduce school-aged children to the strategic complexities of contract bridge. By focusing on the cognitive benefits of the game, including mathematical probability and logical reasoning, he is actively re-branding bridge as an academic tool.
In addition to grassroots coaching, Bhatt is conducting research to quantify the cognitive benefits of bridge on young minds. Preliminary studies suggest that regular bridge play enhances memory, concentration, and collaborative problem-solving skills. “Bridge is the ultimate team mind sport,” Bhatt noted in a recent interview, emphasizing the unique communication partnership required between players—a dynamic absent in solo sports like chess.
Drawing Parallels to the Chess Boom
The comparison to chess is both deliberate and strategic. Two decades ago, chess in India was a niche pursuit; today, the country boasts over 80 Grandmasters and dominates international tournaments. Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand has publicly supported the bridge community’s aspirations, noting that both sports share the same intellectual DNA but require different structural pathways to achieve mainstream popularity.
To replicate this trajectory, the BFI and independent advocates are looking to digital platforms. The transition of bridge to online servers during the pandemic proved that the game could appeal to a tech-savvy generation. Online platforms allow players to practice without geographical constraints, lowering the barrier to entry that previously restricted the sport to metropolitan clubs.
Industry Support and Structural Hurdles
Despite the optimism, significant hurdles remain before bridge can achieve mainstream status in India. Corporate sponsorship remains heavily skewed toward cricket and emerging franchise leagues, leaving mind sports with limited funding. Furthermore, securing recognition from educational boards to include bridge in extracurricular curricula remains an uphill task.
However, sports analysts point out that international recognition is shifting. Bridge was included as a medal sport in the 2018 Asian Games, where India won a gold and two bronze medals. This official recognition from the Olympic Council of Asia has provided a crucial framework for government funding, which advocates hope to leverage for youth development camps.
Future Outlook: What to Watch
The next twelve months will be critical in determining whether this grassroots movement can translate into sustained national interest. Observers should watch for the upcoming World Youth Bridge Championships, where a newly trained cohort of Indian players, mentored by Bhatt, is expected to compete. Their performance will serve as a direct metric of India’s developing youth pipeline.
Additionally, the integration of bridge into digital gaming applications and local school pilot programs in cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru will test the scalability of Bhatt’s model. If these initiatives succeed in changing parental perceptions, India may well be on the cusp of a dual-engine mind sports revolution, with bridge poised to follow chess into the global spotlight.
