Andhra Pradesh continues to produce top chess talent, say coaches
Ahead of International Chess Day, coaches say Andhra Pradesh continues to produce outstanding chess talent, with several Grandmasters, International Masters and Woman International Masters emerging from the State. Visakhapatnam, in particular, has become a major centre for chess training and development
Hyderabad: Even as the chess fraternity celebrates July 20 as International Chess Day, coaches in Andhra Pradesh are happy that the State continues to produce quality chess players.
Of the 2,140 Grandmasters worldwide, India has an impressive 98 GMs, and Andhra Pradesh has been the birthplace of seven GMs, including two-time World Rapid Chess champion Koneru Humpy, besides producing nine IMs, two WGMs and five WIMs.
Interestingly, among the five WIMs, the presence of Visakhapatnam’s own Mungi Sahithi Varshini is considered a matter of immense pride for the Port City, given the consistent performances she has been delivering at the highest level in recent years.
Some of the noted names from Andhra Pradesh include FIDE Master Aditya Varun Gampa, who won a bronze medal in the Commonwealth Under-14 Championship and the Asian Blitz Championship, besides a silver medal in the Western Asian Rapid Championship.
Sahithi Varshini is also a FIDE Master and a WIM and represented India in the 2022 Chess Olympiad.
Other young talents who have grabbed attention include FIDE Master K Alana Meenakshi, who won the National Under-10 girls title besides gold medals in the Asian Schools and Western Asian championships, Candidate Master M Venkata Ruthvik, and FIDE Master Yahaswi Krishna Bommi.
Critics credit some of these success stories to Dr Rangala Babu Rao, President of the All Visakha Chess Association, who has served as a chess player, coach, organiser and tournament director.
Since 1983, Dr Rangala Babu has gained more than 40 years of experience in chess. He also established the Chaitanya Chess Academy and has conducted many free chess coaching programmes.
“Conducting tournaments regularly has increased players’ interest in the game, and more people are now taking up chess. Chess has also become an important activity in almost every school,” he said in a chat with Telangana Today.
Significantly, Visakhapatnam alone boasts 40 chess academies, and the sport has become a source of livelihood for many former players, Dr Babu said.
“With the cooperation of the heads of these academies, chess parents, Andhra Chess Association President A Suresh, Chairman K V V Sharma, and with the approval of the All India Chess Federation (AICF), six international chess tournaments have been successfully organised,” he said.
