How have you liked BITS in the time you’ve been here?

I haven’t had a chance to look around the campus, but I’m eager to do so soon. Everyone here that I have interacted with has made me feel very comfortable. I am very happy to be here.

When did you start playing chess? Was it your first-choice sport? How did you get into it?

I started taking chess lessons when I was six years old, and I fell in love with it immediately. Chess didn’t start as something meant to be a career, but soon after school, I decided to become a professional player. Both my parents were supportive. My mother played badminton, and my father played football for his college. I am blessed to be born in a family where sports is seen as an alternative way of learning, and not just as something to supplement your academics. My family believes that sports can teach us in a much better way than a classroom can.

What skills are needed to be a great chess player?

This is a nature versus nurture argument—are chess players born or made? I think anyone can become a strong chess player if they put in enough effort. There are cases where people are gifted with a very good memory, and for sure, that helps a lot. But Gary Kasparov said that hard work is the biggest talent, and I think this is true. No matter how talented you are, there is nothing that hard work cannot substitute. Every person has talent in some field or other. What is truly special is the ability to work hard in your field.  However, I believe there is surely an aspect of genius involved at the very top level of chess.

Chess develops a lot of skills, even for non-professional players. In chess, you have an idea of what you want to achieve, and the resources, your pieces, are all in front of you. The question is how to use them well, and this is where calculation comes in. These skills are transferrable to everything we do. 

How important is keeping calm during a match?

Psychology is very important—how much control you have on your nerves when the clock is ticking. When you’re down to the last minute, one mistake can mess up a whole game. This is the beauty of chess. 

Sportspersons often employ psychologists to improve their aptitude and mental strength. Do you think it is necessary?

I think it is very useful. I have gone through phases where I have taken help from psychologists—when I have felt depressed and I have wanted to get stronger mentally. In many countries sports psychology is viewed as a part of sports training, not as something separate. India has tradionally been less open to the idea of sports psychology, but it is also opening up.

Do you think chess should become a bigger spectator sport or do you you think people should play alone in quiet concentration?

500 million people across the world play chess. In the Olympics, there are 150 chess teams participating. It is a widely played sport. The thing is, it is difficult to televise chess. These days, we are playing shorter matches, and chess commentary is picking up. Over time, chess may become more spectator friendly, but the popularity of chess even today is unquestionable.

Is it important to find your passion at a very young age?

Most professional sports players do start young. In other fields, people have found their passions at different ages. The important thing is that whether you’re young or old, through your journey you find something that excites you. Try not to get into the web of doing things that your parents or others want out of you.

What message do you want to give to BITSians participating in BOSM?

All those who are here to celebrate sports are already champions. I want you to go out there, sweat it out, play your heart out, and play with fairness. Most importantly, enjoy every moment of it. Sports will take your life one notch higher.