Chess has been included in the cash-rich CM's trophy this year and response from districts is outstanding.
Chennai: Viswanathan Anand, who must not be brimming with enthusiasm following two successive defeats at the worlds, will be thrilled to know how his pioneering exploits have inspired youngsters from unlikely places to take up chess. The mind game is no longer the preserve of the elite. In addition to Anand's role as a motivator, the Tamil Nadu government's efforts to introduce chess in schools have come as a shot in the arm for the game.
Chess has been included in the cash-rich CM's trophy this year and the response from districts is outstanding, unlike other sports that are blighted by infrastructure problems and a dearth of talent.
S. Dhiraviya Singam, a fisherman from Athikad, Rameswaram, is proud that all his three daughters are chess players. His eldest daughter, Mariya Angelin Dileepa, 17, finished ninth in Ramanathapuram district to qualify for the state tournament in the CM's trophy here. “Chess is a lifelong passion for me. If I'm not fishing, you can find me with a chessboard. I have been following the game from the time of Kasparov.
Without Anand, there wouldn't be so many chess players in our state,“ Dhiraviya Singam said.
Dileepa, a self-taught player, said losing her first match in an inter-school tournament when she was in seventh standard lit the chess spark in her.
J. Solomon Rathinasekaran who won the first prize in the district event is a maths teacher at Schwartz School, Ramanathapuram. He has conducted chess classes to more than 100 physical education teachers in Ramanathapuram district. “Chess is witnessing an amazing growth even in villages. I learned chess from newspaper cuttings and I didn't have opponents to polish my game when I was young. The situation is much better now thanks to the state government's support. And, Anand is in every young player's dream,“ Rathinasekaran said.
According to him, the competition in the CM's trophy would be much tougher in the coming years even though district players lack the facilities that city-based students take for granted.
“Chess has all the ingredients to flourish everywhere. It's a sport that doesn't discriminate against girls and it also aids education. So parents are only happy to enrol their children in chess classes. I see a rosy future for the game because the education department's support for it is exemplary,“ Rathinasekaran added.
S. Pichaimani, a school teacher from Dindigul district, echoed the views of Rathinasekaran. The PG assistant in biology at Government Girls' Higher Secondary School, Vadamadurai, is a chess coach and arbiter. Both his daughters, P.M. Monika and P.M. Mayuri, are chess players. “Our chief minister has given a boost to chess by conducting the world championship in Chennai and various other events across the state. At the same time, I must point out that districts lack qualified coaches. If the chief minister appoints exclusive chess coaches in schools, Tamil Nadu's achievements will be even better,“ he added.
International master V.Saravanan said the state government can use the chess syllabus prescribed by Fide in all its schools.
( Source : dc )
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