Grand moves on board
P. K. AJITH KUMAR
|
Parimarjan Negi became the world's second youngest ever Grandmaster.
|
Photo: R.V. Moorthy
NEGI: Enjoys the game.
In the excitement of the World Cup a remarkable achievement by a kid went almost unnoticed.
At13 years and 142 days, Parimarjan Negi became the world's second youngest ever Grandmaster on July 1 in Satka, Russia. And he made the task of achieving the title look as easy as doing his homework.
A student of Std. VIII, Amity International School, New Delhi, he got all his norms — you need three of them — within a space of six months. Parimarjan is a truly gifted player who spends hours practising. He is unperturbed by losses. And he doesn't chase records. Records, though, love chasing him. He is the youngest Indian to get the International Master title, the youngest Indian to beat a GM and the youngest Indian to get the GM title.
Love at first sight
Parimarjan, however, is unlikely to rest on these records; he would rather work harder to become an even better player. He is lucky that he has all the support he needs: his parents, J.B.S. Negi and Paridhi, who ensure that his career is moving along the right path, the finest coaches in the world and sponsorships.
Parimarjan began playing chess when one of his father's friends presented him with a chess set when he was four. He fell in love with the game immediately and it didn't take his parents long to discover that chess wasn't just a hobby for him; they took him to G.B. Joshi, one of the most reputed coaches in Delhi.
Before long, Parimarjan started playing in tournaments, and began to make his presence felt at the national and international events. He's done pretty well in quite a few of them, winning medals at the world, Asian and Commonwealth meets. So where does he go from here?
"I think he has the potential to be one of the top players of the world", says Dibyendu Barua, the original wonder boy of Indian chess. "But it is important that he gets the right kind of coaching and tournaments. The journey never is easy after you become a GM."
But knowing Parimarjan, one could safely say that the boy would relish all the challenges that he would come across that journey.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Young World
