Savitha Shri wins reserve-board gold as India take bronze at 24th Chess Olympiad
Savitha Shri, 19, won individual gold on the reserve board and helped India secure team bronze at the recent 24th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. She finished the event unbeaten, recording eight wins and two draws.
Savitha’s rise followed junior and youth success: she took the under-12 title at the World Cadets championship in 2018 and earned bronze in the World Rapid championship four years later. The Chennai WGM began playing at age four after watching her brother and once sat across the table from Magnus Carlsen, “who would soon go on to become the World champion in 2013.” Despite those results, the article says she had largely flown under the radar until her Olympiad performance, which the piece describes as probably her biggest prizes to date.
Her family made significant sacrifices to support her development. Her father, Krishnan Baskar, had been working as an electrical technician in Singapore before giving up that job to back his daughter; he recalled, “I got a chessboard for ₹500 and thought it was all that I needed to spend.” Baskar said the family asked his son, Mugesh, to give up chess so they could support Savitha, and at one point they pledged gold jewellery to fund her tournaments.
Savitha’s individual score proved decisive for the team while also including two hard-fought draws that saved matches, and the Chennai player admitted mixed feelings about the closing rounds: “I regret not being able to win in the final round.” She was rested for the match against Poland, which India lost, and said: “Vantika [Agrawal] had won all three matches and was also in good form. Poland is not really that strong compared to the other teams we played. It’s unfortunate that we lost. Again, I don’t think I have to blame anyone. It was the captain’s (Swayams Mishra) decision. I completely agree with it.”
Savitha credited her teammates for keeping her calm on debut, naming Koneru Humpy, R. Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh and Vantika and saying: “I didn’t feel it. I was part of a very supportive team... my teammates were awesome. They just told me to play my game.” She described her run as “amazing” and explained her mindset after starting with four wins: “When I had four (wins) from four games, I thought I should keep pushing. As long as I score, it is better for the team.”
Coaches on her staff and past mentors also spoke about her qualities. Savitha said the late K. Thirukkalathy “taught me how to move the pieces. It all started from there. He was a very good coach,” and described him as “special.” She now trains under GM R.B. Ramesh, who the article notes also coaches R. Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali; Ramesh, she said, “helps by analysing games and offers psychological support. We work a lot on the middle and end-game.” Team captain Swayams Mishra praised her resilience: “We expected her to do well but this one was a pleasant surprise, not just for me but for herself as well. She kept on winning, especially in many clutch games where we needed her to.” Mishra added: “I think we need more players like her who are always fighting for the team.”
Her arrival home from Samarkand was met by family and team-mates; the article recounts Baskar pacing at the airport before greeting her alongside her grandmother and two compatriots, Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali. The piece notes Savitha earned her Olympiad opportunity after the experienced D. Harika opted out and that the family were delighted by her podium finish with the Indian women’s team.
Now that she has gained important points with a splendid show in Samarkand, she would be motivated to get better and improve her ranking, the article says, adding that she is being viewed in Chennai as a rising chess figure.