Meet Our Coaches
The people who teach at Darklight Chess Academy — online for students worldwide and in person at our Coimbatore centres.
Darklight's coaching team teaches live online classes for students worldwide and offline classes at our two Coimbatore centres. The roles and achievements below are as each coach has published them with the academy. When you book a free demo class, we suggest a coach and batch based on the student's level and time zone.
Founder of DLCA cum Coach
A passionate mentor and visionary, Karuppasamy founded Darklight Chess Academy with a bold ambition: to empower chess coaches and spread chess culture globally. His belief in lifelong learning and chess as a tool for personal development drives our academy's core.
“Chess isn't just a game — it's a lifestyle. There's no age limit to learning or mastering it.”
Co-Founder and Head Coach
Manikandan plays a pivotal role in operations and quality control, ensuring that every student and coach gets the guidance they need to succeed.
“The excitement in our students when they share victories — from living rooms to international arenas — is what fuels us every day.”
Head Coach
“Patience and discipline are at the heart of every good move.”
Head Coach
“Remote training doesn't mean remote results.”
Head Coach
“Vision is not what the eyes see, but what the mind foresees on the board.”
Head Coach
“Every pawn has the power to become a queen — it's the journey that matters.”
How We Coach
Every new student starts with a free demo and a level assessment, then joins a group batch or private 1-to-1 lessons at the right level — from beginner to advanced. Coaches review students' own games and run regular academy tournaments. Read more about the academy, or see how online classes work.
