Father quit job, pawned jewellery to fund chess dream: Olympiad-bound Savitha's story
Savitha Shri Baskar never set out to become the family’s chess star. She first picked up the game by watching her elder brother, but soon became the one her father chose to back. He quit his job in Singapore, pawned jewellery and stretched the family’s finances to keep her career going. Now, at 19, Savitha is headed to the Olympiad.
In a surprising turn of events for the Indian chess community, Harika Dronavalli, a four-time Olympiad gold medalist, has decided to skip the 2026 Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Instead, she has been replaced by her 19-year-old daughter, Savitha Shri. The news has taken most by surprise, as Harika had already achieved her primary goal of winning a gold medal with the Indian women's team at the 2022 Chess Olympiad in Budapest.
Savitha's chess journey began when her older brother, Mugesh, introduced her to the game. She started watching him play at the age of six and quickly developed a passion for chess. As both siblings were training under renowned chess coach RB Ramesh and his wife Aarthie, the family faced financial challenges due to the expensive nature of the sport. In a difficult decision, Baskar, Savitha's father, quit his job in Singapore and returned to India to support his daughter's chess career.
Baskar's decision to quit his job had significant financial implications. At one point, the family was forced to pawn Baskar's gold jewelry to fund a national tournament's entry fee. The burden was further exacerbated when Savitha qualified for the World Rapid Chess Championship in Kazakhstan, a trip requiring roughly three lakh rupees which the family did not have at the time.
The family obtained sponsorship from Savitha's school, Velammal, and managed to secure bronze, making her the youngest player to win a medal at the event.
Despite the financial challenges, Baskar remains committed to supporting Savitha's chess career, hoping to see her become a professional chess player. The family of six, including Savitha and her brother, their parents, and grandparents, has been united by their love for the game. As the world watches the 2026 Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, the eyes will undoubtedly be on Savitha Shri Baskar.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
