In memory of Montu Das, India Chessboxing President.

Mr Montu Das, President and founder of Chess Boxing Organisation of India and WCBO Honorary President, has died yesterday afternoon, 4th December 2025. This is a great loss for his wife, children and for the whole chessboxing community.

President Montu Das

Born on 5th February 1973, Montu Das has been a great force in the chessboxing world. He was the founder of the first national chessboxing federation (India) that was established in 2011 and the organiser of the first two WCBO Chessboxing World Championships in tournament format. He also led the WCBO after the death of Iepe Rubingh in May 2020 until 1st November 2023 when a new WCBO President was elected and Montu was nominated WCBO Honorary President.

His death has been something unexpected: although he was not feeling well Montu yesterday was present at the training in the gym where he has a stroke. His health had already worried us in recent past, and we remember that he could not attend the 2024 WCBO World Championships as he needed rest to recover.

It is a very peculiar feeling, for me, to be writing his obituary, this soon. He was a great friend to me. The first time we met personally (in real life I mean, as during the years we had so many calls) was in 2014 in Berlin where we elected him as WCBO Vicepresident: in that occasion we also shared the same apartment during these days of the (new) WCBO Assembly and a chessboxing event. Montu was much more into photography than me: I have decided to illustrate this article with photos he himself sent me (and Sara) during the years.

Other important moments together were the World Championships and Assembly in Turkey in December 2019, which resulted been the last Assembly with Iepe and then, after the covid related interruption and the 2022 World Championships and Assembly in Turkey 2022 where Montu was elected WCBO President.

Exchange of gifts in Turkey.

In Riccione

At the 2023 WCBO World Championships in Riccione he was on the same floor at the hotel and we often gave him rides to the tournament venue. In all these accessions we shared meals together and during these thirteen years we worked tirelessly to grow chessboxing around the world.

Montu had the experience of seeing how the sport of kickboxing and its international federation WAKO grew in the past decades; he brought the expertise of someone who came from the combat sport and martial arts to a world federation where many come instead from a chess background.

About five years after the death of Iepe Rubingh, the departure of Montu Das is another great loss for chessboxing. Both men have been able to grow a network of men and women that are able to carry on this sport that is constantly growing and breaking records.

A curiosity: only two days before his death Montu sent to Sara a photograph of a nice occasion together during the 2023 Riccione World Championships. He was not normally in touch with her, it was something a bit out of the blue and a very welcome gesture. Here, on the side, the photo that Montu sent her.

We will miss you a lot dear Montu! Your memory will be with us.

Obituary written by Volfango Rizzi