She has just returned home with her first medal at the Chess Olympiad. From her early days she always wanted to play for the country and win a medal at the Olympiad. She has finally achieved that, and she also helped the Indian women’s team to its best-ever finish of fourth in the tournament, held in Istanbul, Turkey.
Tania Sachdev, winner of the Asian Chess Championship and an Arjuna award recipient, spoke to Indian Sports News about her feat at the Olympiad during a felicitation function in New Delhi. Excerpts:
ISN: Congratulations on your bronze medal. How much does this achievement mean to you?
Tania: Thank you. Ever since I started playing chess, I always wanted to play for the country, and winning a bronze at the Olympiad is a great feeling. This achievement certainly stands alongside my win at the Asian Chess Championship.
ISN: Without Koneru Humpy, you were the senior member of the team. How much pressure was on you?
Tania: Frankly speaking, I did not take any pressure. Every member of the team knew what they had to do and was totally focused on the game. We exceeded all expectations by finishing fourth and I am happy with it.
ISN: How much did the team miss Humpy?
Tania: Yes, we did miss Humpy in the tournament. Having someone like her in the team is always very encouraging, and I feel we could have finished in the top three had she been part of the team.
ISN: How well do you think chess is recognised in the country?
Tania: The situation has improved a lot. Earlier very few people knew about the game, but now it is being reported in the media and people have started recognising it. People are aware of us now, but having said that, it still has not reached the level it should have. It is on course and will take time, but I am confident it will reach the same level as other popular sports in the country.
ISN: What would you say about the AICF as a sports body?
Tania: They are doing a wonderful job. They are very professional, and the number of tournaments they organise every year helps the sport a great deal. We do not have to go hunting for international tournaments abroad, and that is all due to them. The players get so much exposure and everyone is getting more platforms to make it big.
ISN: How much support do you get from the government?
Tania: We do have their support, but somehow I think it does not match the hard work we put in or our achievements. I feel they should do a bit more for the cause of chess.
By Samikshan Dutta Choudhury
Indian Sports News
