Chess: Young Mitrava earns laurels without a coach, laments unavailability of financial aid

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Kolkata, July 20: Mitrava Guha is the current sub-junior national chess champion. He is 15 years old and lives in Kolkata.

He started learning chess under the tutelage of renowned Dibyendu Barua when he was only four. He continued taking Dibyendu's coaching till 2012.

Since then Mitrava has been practicing without a coach. But, success hasn't evaded him in the last five years. He has won bronze medal in the Commonwealth Chess championship.

He has earned gold medals in the Asian Championships, won national title in the sub-junior level.

On Wednesday (July 19) he finished seconds at another national level championship, held for the first time in Andaman.

Mitrava said from Port Blair on Wednesday, “I have several chess games, downloaded in my computer. Then I play online chess against top players through internet and above I watch and try to follow Viswanathan Anand's game style as he is my idol."

Still, country's one of most promising chess players seemed a little upset while speaking.

Mitrava rued, “Actually my aim is to be International Master (IM). But you need to have IM norms from the GM tournaments. Most of the GM tournaments take place in Europe and in the USA. I cannot go there due to huge financial burden. Presently my Elo Rating is 2301. I need to be at 2400 to become an IM."

This has been the same old story in the chess fraternity as prodigious chess players couldn't push themselves to the next level due to financial crunch.

Grand Master Dibyendu Barua, when asked about the issue said, “It is unfortunate that players like Mitrabha must need a sponsor as he has been in good touch. He needs to play in Europe to shine. Otherwise it will be difficult for him to continue.

"The national chess federation, the state association and even the Union Sports Ministry have no plan to arrange funding for players when they go abroad to participate in the tournaments which are not organised by the respective national federations," he concluded.

OneIndia News