Indian-American Abhimanyu Mishra may have become the youngest Grandmaster at the age of 12, but D Harika believes India will produce even younger talents in chess

Indian-American Abhimanyu Mishra made headlines earlier this year when he became the youngest Grandmaster at the age of 12. However, leading Indian chess player D Harika believes that the age barrier in the sport is being shattered, and it’s only a matter of time before the bar is reset, possibly by an Indian player.

Harika, who is one of only three Indian women players to become a Grandmaster, is currently participating in the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (GCL). She credits the recent success of the Indian men’s and women’s teams at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest for inspiring a new generation of players.

India made history by winning their first-ever gold medals in the Olympiad, with both the men’s and women’s teams taking the top podium finishes. Harika believes that the momentum created by the teams’ success is a result of years of hard work at the grassroots level.

The 33-year-old player, who is representing Upgrad Mumba Masters in the GCL, is optimistic about the future of Indian chess. She believes that India has the potential to produce even younger Grandmasters in the future.

Harika also praised the performance of the Indian men’s team at the Olympiad, stating that they deserved the gold medal more than the women’s team. She has no issue with the spotlight being on players like D Gukesh, Vidit Gujrathi, Arjun Erigaisi, and R Praggnanandhaa, who were instrumental in the team’s success.

Despite the challenges faced by chess players in India compared to athletes in Olympic disciplines, Harika remains hopeful for the future of the sport. She believes that the recent success of the Indian teams will inspire more players to take up chess and excel on the international stage.

Overall, Harika is proud of the progress that Indian chess has made and hopes that the sport will continue to grow in popularity and success in the years to come.