Srinath Is An Attacking Player, Says Shantharam

From left to right: S.Ganesan, P.R.Venketrama Raja, Srinath, Dhevanathan, J.C.D.Prabhakaran and D.V.Sundar.

The Tamil Nadu State Chess Association felicitated N.Srinath at a grand function in an air conditioned University of Madras hall opposite Marina Beach in Chennai on June 11. Srinath who had won the World U-12 Championship at Belfort, France was handed over Rs.1 lakh. He became the fourth Tamil Nadu player to win a world title. Viswanathan Anand had won the world junior in 1987, Aarthie Ramaswamy had won the world U-18 girls championship in 1999 and Anand had won the world title in 2000.

Chief Guest T.Dhevanathan, Chairman and Managing Director of Win TV hailed the achievement of N.Srinath and said he would sponsor all the T-shirts which Tamil Nadu State Chess Association proposes to give to its players for all nationals. He further said, the Central Government spent about Rs.2500 crores per year on sports and if chess is able to get even one percent of it it would push the image of the game further. In 2004, Win TV sponsored Chennai's only International Open.

President of the TNSCA, P.R.Venketrama Raja said this felicitation was a collective effort of the chess community and the delay was worthwhile. He recalled that he has been following Srinath's progress for a long time since his son was also in the same age group and it is stunning that a Tamil Nadu boy has won the World U-12 championship.

Welcoming the three IMs - Sudhakar Babu, T.S.Ravi and Konguvel in the assembly, D.V.Sundar said AICF under him have given the players who represented the country T-shirts, shoes and track suits. Sundar who arrived in Chennai only this morning from Delhi said in the past, for the age group events, one champion went to the world championship and the runner-up to the Asian meets. "Yesterday the Government has cleared 1-2-3 to Iran for the Asian Age Category. For the 14 sections, 42 players are sent at cost to the Government," Sundar said about the tripled joy. "If you (all chess players) perform well we will be able to convince the Government further," Sundar concluded.

Manuel Aaron, Secretary, TNSCA welcomed the gathering and wished Srinath well in his career. S.Ganesan, Patron, TNSCA, said Tamil Nadu has a long list of achievements to its credit in chess and five grandmasters come from Tamil Nadu only confirms this view. Tirukalathy, Treasurer of TNSCA also spoke and said how Srinath wanted to be "Srinath" and not "Anand"! J.C.D.Prabhakaran, Vice President of TNSCA was also present.

Over one hundred people mainly chess players, arbiters and officials attended this felicitation and Srinath was accompanied by his parents, older brother and some relatives. "Srinath is an attacking player," opined Shantharam who had coached the 12-year old for one year.

In replying to the felicitations, N.Srinath read a long list of "thank you" to his trainers who had helped him in his career. He thanked Manuel Aaron for spotting him as a boy having special talent in 2000 and Sakthi Prabhakar for the same comment in 2001. First coach Sakthi Prabhakar, then V.Hariharan and his academy, K.V.Shantharam, Preetham Sharma and finally S.Mari Arul who travelled with him to Belfort as a trainer. 

BACK.