'Tamil Nadu Is The Centre Of Chess': Savitha Shri B

 

Chennai : Tamil Nadu chess player Savitha Shri B has made the country proud by winning gold in the individual category at the 46th International Chess Olympiad held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. She hails from Chromepet, Chennai and is studying Arts and Science in her third year at a private college.

The Indian men's team won the silver medal and the women's team won the bronze medal in the competition. Savitha Shri B and her father Bhaskar, who won the gold medal in the individual category, shared their joy and experiences exclusively with ETV Bharat.

 

The moment when a dream comes true – Savitha Shri B

"This victory was a great experience for me because it was my first Olympiad. It had been my long-time dream to participate in it. So I thought I should make the most of the opportunity. All the people in my team are very experienced athletes," she said.

"It was a great pleasure for me to play with them. We were aiming to win the gold medal as a team. We ended up with a draw in the final round, so we got the bronze medal. All the players on the team were very supportive. They often gave us their advice and guidance and encouraged us," she said.

She added, "I became interested in chess when I was five years old after watching my brother play it. After that, I gradually started participating in tournaments with him. That's how my chess journey began. My next goal is the 'World Junior Chess Championship' to be held in November. My main goal is to win the 'Grand Master' title as soon as possible."

 

Speaking about the contribution of the Tamil Nadu government in the field of sports, Savitha Shri B remarked, "The current Tamil Nadu government is providing various welfare schemes and excellent financial assistance for the game of chess. Due to this, players like us are able to participate in foreign competitions without any hindrance. Tamil Nadu has produced the largest number of 'Grand Masters' in India. Tamil Nadu is the main centre of the game of chess."

Talking about his daughter's achievement, Bhaskar said, "It was her long-standing dream to participate in this competition. Just participating in it is a great achievement. I did not have any pre-conceived expectations that my daughter would win. When you go in with high expectations, success is often not possible.