A GM in-the-making emerges from Warangal

Warangal: This has been one sport where players from Andhra Pradesh in particular and the Vijayawada-Guntur belt in particular, outshone and outwitted their peers from Telangana region. The first four Grand Masters (GMs) from the undivided Andhra Pradesh are all Telugu biddas from what is generally presumed as the chess nursery.

In what comes as a welcome revelation is that the equation may change dramatically, thanks to the advent of young talent like R Raja Rithvik and the latest entrant in the list, Erigaisi Arjun, who at 15 years of age, has put Warangal on the global chess map with his exploits and winning moves.

Taken from any yardstick, and commanding an envious Elo rating of 2488, he has been a child-prodigy of the amazing kind. For one who made his first move on the 64 squares in 2011 and having become an International Master-elect a mere seven years later speaks of the latent talent that Arjun possesses. 

The naturally endowed skills make the 15-year-old the first from Warangal to achieve a GM norm, which, in itself, is a significant achievement.

It has been a remarkably rewarding 2018 for the lad, who has consolidated his stature as the player to watch out for. Quite ironically, he won his first GM norm (May 21) when he outwitted seasoned campaigner M Lalith Babu, the fourth GM from Andhra Pradesh, when they clashed in the Kolkata GM Open.

That is not bad for a player who made the fraternity notice his winning techniques and strategies in the Under-9 nationals at Bhubaneswar and became Candidate Master in double-quick time in 2016 and FIDE Master a year later.

Significantly, the bright young protégé of Israeli GM Victor Mikhalevski achieved all three IM norms in the last five months, which stands testimony to his consistent run at the top. After accomplishing the first IM norm at the Chennai Open-2018 in January, he pocketed the second and third in the Aeroflot Open in February and the HD Bank tournament in Hanoi, subsequently.

The tenth standard student finds his best sources of encouragement in his doting parents, Dr Srinivas Rao and Jyothi, who are so bowled over by their ward’s success story that from being oblivious of the royal sport they are now well acquainted with the game.

In the words of All India Chess Federation (AICF) Secretary Bharat Singh Chauhan, ‘Arjun is one of the brightest talents in Indian chess.” According to Telangana State Chess Association Vice-President BV Rajagopal, ‘Arjun is an exceptional talent. His feats will hopefully stoke passion among the budding players in Warangal.’

Rajagopal, however lamented that quite a few talents from the district are missing the bus because of economic compulsions.

Perhaps, the new torch-bearer and beacon of hope can make the policy-makers take notice and rise to the occasion by putting in place a viable support system to the likes of Erigaisi Arjun as they go about taking Brand Telangana to the top echelons.