Chess's Young Prodigies: India's Pursuit of the Next Grandmaster

Indian-American Abhimanyu Mishra set a record as the youngest Grandmaster at 12, but D Harika predicts India may soon reset this bar with younger champions. Harika, a key player in India's chess scene, highlights the recent success at the Chess Olympiad and the gradual progress over the years.

Indian-American Abhimanyu Mishra became the youngest Grandmaster at 12, a record that could soon be surpassed by another Indian, says leading chess player D Harika. With Indian teams shining at the recently concluded Chess Olympiad, the aspirations are sky-high for producing younger champions.

D Harika, one of three Indian women Grandmasters, is participating in the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League. She emphasizes that the momentum built by India's performance at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest has inspired both men and women's teams towards achieving historic success.

India made history by securing its first-ever gold in the Olympiad, inspiring young talents. Harika sees this success as a result of years of perseverance at the grassroots level, acknowledging that such achievements don't occur overnight. Despite giving more spotlight to the men's team, Harika is proud of the overall progress and hopes it inspires future chess players.

(With inputs from agencies.)