My Journey

When I was five years old, I fell in love with chess. My parents, who manage a private school in my birthplace of Guntur, first introduced me to the game as part of their sports program. I was immediately attracted to this fascinating sport as someone who has always been curious and eager to learn.

After seeing my growing interest, my parents enrolled me in chess coaching under Mr. Sithapathi, a well-known and respected chess instructor in our community. Through his guidance, I studied the fundamentals of chess and gained a deeper understanding of the game’s strategic and tactical aspects.

As my training advanced, I began competing in local chess tournaments, and I quickly established a reputation as a talented and strong player. With each competition, I improved my chess skills and gained vital experience. Over the years, I’ve competed in numerous tournaments at both the national and international levels and received appreciation and recognition for my efforts. I’m honored to be a Woman International Master in Chess since my dedication and hard work have paid off.

At just six years old, after only three months of training, I participated in the Guntur District U-7 girls Chess Championship and secured 1st place. This win qualified me for the State U-7 girls Chess Championship, held in the town of Tanuku in Andhra Pradesh. I achieved an impressive 3rd place in the state championship, earning myself a spot in the National Championship 2009.

My parents were shocked and overwhelmed by my success, realizing that their daughter had a chance of becoming a great chess player. They made the difficult decision to prioritize my chess career over my education. Though I did not finish on the podium in the National Championship 2009, the experience played a crucial role in building my professional chess career.

That early taste of success fueled my passion for the game and motivated me to work even harder to achieve my goals. It was a turning point in my life, and I am grateful for the support and encouragement of my family and coaches who helped me along the way.

I had won a number of state chess titles in the years before to 2012, but I had never been able to place in the top three nationally. When I took part in the National U-9 Girls Chess Championship in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, everything changed. I secured 3rd place in that competition and qualified for the Asian and World Youth U-10 Girls Chess Championships.

In addition to my first chess championship, I received a Bronze medal at the Asian Schools U-9 Girls Chess Championship held in New Delhi, India. A milestone in my chess career was reached when I won these first major international medals. I learned so much from the experience of playing at such a high level against brilliant players from around the world, and it motivated me to keep putting in the effort and developing my abilities. I will always be appreciative of the possibilities these early victories gave me since they helped me become the chess player I am today.

Continuing from my journey, I am excited to share my achievements with you. In 2014, I won 1st place at the Asian Schools U-11 girls Chess Championship held in Taiwan, Chinese Taipei, and was felicitated by former AP CM N. Chandrababu Naidu. That same year, I achieved 2nd place at the World Schools U-11 girls Chess Championship in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The following year, I achieved 3 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze medal at the ASEAN+Age group U-12 Girls Chess Championship held in Singapore.

One of my biggest breakthroughs came in 2018, at the age of 15, when I secured 12th place at the National Women’s Chess Championship held in Jaipur, Rajasthan, and came close to achieving the Woman International Master norm. In January 2019, I achieved 2nd place in the Female category at the Delhi International Chess Championship, which earned me my first Woman International Master norm – a major accomplishment in my career.

In 2020, while preparing for my intermediate examinations, the pandemic hit. Despite the challenges, I managed to achieve 70% in my studies and decided to pursue a degree in CSE, B. Tech at KL University in Vijayawada. Despite the disruptions caused by the pandemic, I continued to work hard on my chess skills.

In 2021, I achieved my 2nd Woman International Master norm at the Vezerkepzo IM Roundrobin 2021 held in Budapest, Hungary. The following year, in January 2022, I achieved my 3rd Woman International Master norm at the Roquetas International Chess Festival 2022 held in Roquetas de Mar, Spain, making me the 6th woman from Andhra Pradesh to achieve the title of Woman International Master. These accomplishments are the result of years of hard work and dedication, and I am grateful for the support of my family, coaches, and fans. I am excited to continue on this journey and see where my chess career takes me next.