Sahithi Varshini’s final GM norm quest backed by father’s sacrifices

Emerging chess star Sahithi Varshini is chasing her third and final GM norm, with father and coach Lokesh providing unwavering support. From sacrificing his job and moving to Budapest to starting a chess academy, his journey mirrors her growing ambitions

Hyderabad: For long, it has been a parallel struggle for athletes and their parents. Most sporting journeys are dotted with acute hardship. Not all athletes have gone on to become champions just because of the system, but many have done so because of the sacrifices their parents made.

The likes of Mithali Raj, Sania Mirza, PV Sindhu, Koneru Humpy, Saina Nehwal, Jwala Gutta, JJ Shobha, Sathi Geetha, Soundarya and Nikhat Zareen, to name just a few from a long list of achievers, especially girls, are classic examples of parents going beyond their limits to support their children’s sporting journeys.

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So, with emerging chess star Sahithi Varshini now in search of her third and final GM norm to earn the WGM title, the concern of her mentor-cum-coach and father, Lokesh, is quite understandable.

Someone who himself led HPCL and played alongside some strong GMs, Lokesh is well aware of what it takes to become a special player in the highly competitive world of chess.

The pandemic forced Lokesh to sacrifice his job and move to Budapest for more than a year. He has no regrets when he looks back now, as his daughter Sahithi is making the right ‘moves’ on the 64 squares. She has earned the WIM title and also represented India at the prestigious Chess Olympiad during that critical phase.

“We sold our 2 BHK apartment in Vizag and currently have a gold loan of ₹18 lakhs. Earlier, HPCL sponsored ₹10 lakhs, Help Chess Foundation supported us with ₹3 lakhs, and the AP State Government sanctioned ₹11.75 lakhs. At present, Pravaha Foundation is sponsoring ₹10 lakhs,” he revealed.

“I am grateful to the Pravaha Foundation, who also helped me when I underwent heart surgery,” Lokeswara Rao said.

Interestingly, Lokesh also mentors many young talents, including Gorli Nyna (National Under-11 silver medallist), Yasaswi Krishna Bommi (WCM title), IM Ajay Santhosh (runner-up at Baku Open), and now IM norm achiever Aarav Sinha.

Lokesh’s philosophy is pretty simple — make players believe in thinking for themselves and enable them to take critical decisions on their own.

Support from many quarters emboldened him to start Vagdevi Chess Academy in November 2025 in Visakhapatnam, which has turned out to be a big boon for young chess talent in the Port City.

So, even as Sahithi is determined to make all the right moves, her untiring father Lokesh is never far away, ensuring that she comes up with the right moves on the chessboard.