“In this village, everyone was once an alcoholic… until one man came along and introduced them to chess.” - That’s how Shenaz Treasury described Unni (Thanks Shenaz).
Filmmaker Kabeer Khurana captured Unni’s spirit (pun not intended😀) in his short film, The Pawn of Marottichal.
Marottichal, a sleepy village of 6,000 people nestled at the foothills of the Western Ghats in Thrissur, was once drowning in moonshine. Alcohol wasn’t just a drink there — it was a way of life.
And then came Unnikrishnan.
As a young man, Unni had lost his way, drawn to a Maoist movement that cost him his family’s trust. But in his 30s, he returned — this time, not with anger, but with resolve. He opened a small teahouse at the heart of the village and started something audacious: a war against alcohol.
He and his friends raided houses brewing hooch, smashing barrels and dismantling distilleries. But he knew raids alone couldn’t heal the addiction. So, after every raid, he offered something unexpected — a chessboard.
Soon, one move led to another. Curiosity turned into obsession. The people who once filled their evenings with liquor now filled them with pawns, bishops, and queens.
It took nearly 40 years, but the transformation was complete. Marottichal became famous as India’s Chess Village. Children played in schools, elders played in Unni’s tea shop, in bus stands, at roadside, even in fishing boats; and the world took note — even the Solomon Islands issued stamps to honour Unni and his village.
Dear Leaders, imagine this: if a single man in a tiny village could transform alcoholics into chess players, what change could you spark in your organisation using your powerful employee communities?
Could you not invite a:
- Dr. Rosie Meek to create sport-based rehabilitation in prisons? Or
- Kailash Satyarthi to launch gully cricket for child rights? or
- Prof. Vijay Barse to bring Slum Soccer to the forgotten corners of our cities?
All it takes is one seed, one bold move — and the board changes forever.
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