Chess is a traditional sport and has been patronised in our country for a long time. Mandya’s fourth standard student of Santhome Public School, A.N. Shefali, representing India, did everyone proud by winning the Commonwealth Girls U-8 Chess Championship-2017. She is our ‘Star This Week.’

This is Shefali’s second successive gold in the Commonwealth Chess Championships. Earlier, she had won the gold in the 2016 edition held at Sri Lanka. The National U-7 girls chess champion, Shefali started playing chess at the age of three-and-a-half years, seeing her brother play the game.

In the Delhi Commonwealth Chess Championship, Shefali secured 6 points and clinched the title in the girls U-8 section. She is coached by Jayaram of Chess Shoots Academy, Bengaluru.

Encouraged by her parents Narendra and Nirmala, this chess prodigy from Mandya has done everyone proud with her feats in the International level. Shefali also finished second in the Karnataka State U-9 Chess Championships held in Mysuru last month.

She aims to be a Grand Master and a Women’s World Champion for India.

She is a silver medallist in the 2015 Asian Schools Girls U-7 Chess Championships held in Singapore.

At the National-level, Shefali has won the National U-7 Championships in 2016 at Pondicherry and won the gold medal in the National Schools U-5 Chess Championships held at New Delhi.

In the State-level, Shefali has won the gold medal in the U-7 State Championships held at Mandya in 2015, silver medallist in the State Championships for U-9 held at Mysuru in 2017.

Presently, she is taking part in the Karnataka State U-15 Chess Championships being held at Mandya and is faring well against elder rivals.

She intends to train hard under the guidance of her coach and represent India in the higher level in the days to come.

Such chess whiz kids should be supported by the Government and encouraged with financial assistance to get higher level training from IMs and GMs to reach a higher level in the sport.