‘Individuals nonetheless ask, ‘Chess is okay, however what do you actually do?”: Arjuna Awardee Vantika Agrawal | Chess Information

Vantika Agrawal was launched to chess throughout an opportunity encounter at school. (Picture: Instagram)

NEW DELHI: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” is a saying mined by Chinese language thinker Lao Tzu.
For Vantika Agrawal, it was the easy, but mesmerising, sight of chess items gliding throughout the 64 squares that set her on a path to preeminence.
Go Past The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
From a wide-eyed youngster fascinated by the knight’s distinctive hop to standing tall as a double gold medallist on the 2024 Chess Olympiad, Vantika’s story that began with a single transfer, now takes a thousand miles.
As the most recent recipient of the distinguished Arjuna Award, she continues to show that even in a land the place chess tradition is scarce, a decided thoughts can sense a manner out and carve its personal path.

“I felt on prime of the world,” she instructed TimesofIndia.com — her pleasure evident after receiving the Arjuna Award from President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan nearly a month in the past.
The award wasn’t only a private victory however a well-crafted story that may’ve all the time remained below the stones had she by no means determined to prioritise chess over every part else.
How chess discovered Vantika

“Earlier than chess, I used to be concerned in a variety of actions, like skating, dancing, music, artwork, cricket, and extra. I imply, I used to be taking part in all types of sports activities and fascinating in these actions,” mentioned Vantika.
The affair with chess started serendipitously throughout her faculty’s zero interval. At simply seven-and-a-half-years-old, she and her brother, Vishesh, stumbled into the chess room of Amity Worldwide in Noida.
The sport’s distinctive mechanics stuffed her with awe, and shortly sufficient, she persuaded her mom to enrol them at Genius Chess Academy in Noida earlier than transitioning to house teaching below Manish Unyal.
One event led to a different, and earlier than she knew it, she was successful state, nationwide, Asian, and World Championships. As she put it, “After my first event win, I by no means seemed again.”
Navigating challenges in north India’s ‘chess desert’

Whereas her coaching began with native coaches, she ultimately sought steerage from grandmasters like Praveen Thipsay, Tejas Bakre, and Vishnu Prasanna.
However the transition was not as clean as it would look from the outskirts.
“The problem that I confronted is like (one) I am nonetheless going through. In north India, there isn’t a tradition of chess. Within the south, you will have academies, however right here, no tradition,” she admitted.
Lack of a chess tradition led to existential questions.
“If somebody asks what you do, and also you say, ‘I am a chess participant,’ their response is normally, ‘Okay, however what do you truly do? What are you learning?’ I feel it is nonetheless the identical story, even after successful so many medals. Individuals nonetheless ask, ‘Chess is okay, however what do you actually do?'” she mentioned with a chuckle.
Tacking these on a regular basis challenges, Vantina is now aiming even greater, however it’s not with none help.

Behind each aspiring Indian chess thoughts of this present technology is a mother or father who sacrifices every part to assist their youngster succeed. For Vantika, that pillar of help has been her mom.
Regardless of being a Chartered Accountant, her mom left her job to journey together with her throughout India and the world, making certain she by no means missed a event.
“With out her, none of this is able to have been doable,” Vantika added, unable to place her gratitude into phrases.
Vantika Agrawal: The making of a champion

File photograph of Vantika Agrawal. (Picture: Lennart Ootes)

Throughout her early life, Vantika devoted two to a few hours each day to chess, steadily rising her coaching to 6 to eight hours.
Her rigorous routine consists of fixing puzzles, studying books by world champions like Bobby Fischer, Mikhail Tal, and Vishwanathan Anand, and dealing with prime coaches.
“It’s a must to learn so much to get insights and data. Chess books are like hidden treasures,” defined the 22-year-old who’s a part of Viswanathan Anand‘s WestBridge Anand Chess Academy (WACA).
Throughout tournaments, her schedule is much more disciplined — morning yoga and meditation, breakfast, preparation, intense matches, post-game evaluation, and learning opponent methods for the following spherical.
When requested about completely different chess codecs — Classical, Fast, Blitz, and Chess960 — Vantika expressed, “Blitz is my favorite due to its fast-paced nature, however Chess960 is fascinating because it removes opening preparations and makes you rely solely on ability.”

Vantika Agrawal is a three-time gold medalist on the Chess Olympiad. (Picture: Instagram)

Regardless of her monumental achievements, although, Vantika continues to be preventing for recognition on the worldwide stage.
In contrast to many worldwide grandmasters who obtain invites to Elite tournaments, she has to depend on Open tournaments to enhance her score.
“I received two gold medals on the Olympiad, however I’m nonetheless not getting invites to top-tier tournaments,” she remarked.
But, she stays undeterred, centered on proving herself by competing in each doable open event.
Her final aim? To proceed refining her recreation, work with prime Indian and worldwide Grandmasters, and preserve making her mark on the earth of 64 squares.