Chess
How a courageous mother and crowdfunding resurrected Aravindh Chithambaram’s career
The talent was always there but a helping hand was all that was needed.
Aravindh Chithambaram scores his first win of the tournament in Round 6 of the Chennai Grand Masters. (Photo Credit: Chennai Grand Masters 2024)
When the red-hot Arjun Erigaisi was beaten on Sunday, the Chennai Grand Masters title race was thrown wide open.
And suddenly, the spotlights were on the victorious GM Aravindh Chithambaram, who had seemly done the improbable in breaking the impregnable defense of the World No. 2 Erigaisi.
But a quick look at Chithambaram’s credentials will reveal that this victory was no flash in the pan.
A prodigy
The 25-year-old has a live-ranking of 29 in the world with a FIDE rating of 2706.
Having secured his GM norm in 2015, Chithambaram’s rise has been steady and not meteoric, unlike his more illustrious peers from the state.
That said, he first got heads turning back in 2013, when aged 13, he won the Chennai GM tournament, a tournament that was held alongside the famed Anand-Carlsen World Championship Match.
Interesting, the young Chithambaram scored 9.0/11 and decimated a field of 21 GMs and 30 IMs to announce himself.
As a young adult now, the Thirungar-born player oozes confidence.
But had it not been for his mother and a helping hand from the chess fraternity, a prodigy would have been lost forever.
A courageous mother
Chithambaram was all of 3-years of age when his father passed away.
His mother, Deivanai, not the one to give in, became a life insurance agent and took charge of the family.
Recognizing that her son possessed a gift, she did all that she could to support him. But as the young lad progressed, travel became a necessity to secure the coveted GM norm.
Speaking to the media at this time, she had cited her inability to send him overseas for tournaments.
“We can’t really afford to send him for international tournaments. So, he either plays tournaments in India or age group tournaments when he is selected in the Indian team.”
It was then that a crowdfunding was organized to mobilize resources for the then teenager to compete overseas.
And the response was phenomenal.
In all, roughly INR 9 lacs were raised, and the youngster was able to travel and secured an IM norm in 2014, which was quickly followed by the coveted GM norm in 2015.
Against Arjun Erigaisi on Sunday, Chithambaram, playing white, opted for a queen pawn opening and seized the advantage after the former’s questionable 16th and 17th moves.
And now, with the all-important victory in the bag and the confidence to boot, Chithambaram can and well and truly switch gears to accelerate his career.
