Mysore :
This chess kid is a dreamer. Her love for the world renowned board game began when she was just in class II, courtesy: being born in a family full of Chess lovers. While her tryst with the chequered board actually happened at such young an age for she was a hyperactive child, it is because of the same energy she possesses that Manasa is today an achiever of sorts at the age of 14. Her aim is to see herself as a world champion one day.
H.R. Manasa, a student of the city’s De Paul International Residential School is the daughter of H.S. Rajendra Prasad and Suchitra Prasad. Talking of her daughter’s journey into the world of chess, Suchithra recalls, “while Manasa was bound to play chess since all of us at home loved the game, we put her into it at such a young age as she was hyper active and her energy had to be diverted towards something positive. While she initially learnt the basic level at home, we put her into the Mysore Chess Centre a little later where she began practicing the game professionally.”
Explaining that her coach at the Centre, Suresh, has been a wonderful teacher to her daughter, Suchitra recalls that her daughter not just picked up rapidly in the game but also took part in the State level under-nine Chess Championship in just six months after she joined the coaching centre.
Till date, Manasa has participated in several National level School Chess Championships, has won a silver medal in the National School Chess Championship held at Delhi in 2012 and has also bagged a bronze medal at the Asian Schools Chess Championship – 2012 at Delhi. Coming December, the chess kid will be taking part in the Dubai World Chess Championship. “I will be participating in the under-14 Championship and I’m eagerly looking forward to it,” Manasa says, adding, “I want to win the World Championship. It’s my dream.”
When asked about her excellence in the game, Manasa dedicates it all to her parents and coach who have stood by her constantly. And her mother Suchithra joins in to say, “she has to thank the people of her School De Paul International too as it is because of them that she has been able to reach this position today,” adding, “since the School realised she is a talented kid, they not just gave her an admission at their school but are also providing free education to my child and also sponsor one National championship every year. They give her leave whenever she has to be part of a contest, promote her talent and also give her individual attention and extra coaching classes whenever she misses her classes, as they believe a strategy board game like chess will always help kids achieve academic progress, ability to develop logical thinking and concentration.”
Manasa is currently at Cochin to be part of a tournament.—AN
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / October 25th, 2013