HYDERABAD: Till 2017, there were no grandmasters in Telangana. By the end of 2018, the state had three! Arjun Erigaisi, Harsha Bharathakoti and Karthik Venkatraman had become GMs during that year — in that order. For Bharathakoti, the joy was double, as that was the year when he became eligible to vote as well.
“It was not exactly my life goal, but it was a target I was really hoping to achieve in my chess career,” the 24-year-old told TNIE over the phone from Missouri, US, where he is now pursuing both chess and higher studies.
However, things were a rollercoaster for the Telangana chess prodigy a decade ago. “When I was 14 years old, I was doing very well, and then suddenly my game stagnated for almost three years. It was as if I did not know what was going wrong,” Bharathakoti recollected, adding, “But I did not give up and kept working and went on to become an International Master (IM) at the age of 17.”
Rewind ten years. It was at the age of seven when Bharathakoti, originally from Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh, was introduced to the game of 64 squares by his uncle, NVS Ramaraju. A renowned coach in the chess circles of Hyderabad, Ramaraju also holds the distinction of having trained Erigaisi as well as grandmaster Dronavalli Harika.
“I started playing chess when I was 7 years old. Ramaraju sir has been my coach since the beginning of my chess career. I got introduced to chess by him, and I was just so interested in it,” Bharathakoti said.
For Ramaraju, his disciple achieved good standards in the first couple of years. “He came third in the U-12 nationals, after which he qualified for the Slovenian World Youth Games (U-12). In that tournament, he was unbeatable up to the seventh round but lost in the eighth,” the coach, who has run RACE Academy in Madhapur for over two decades now, told TNIE.
Bharatkoti then went on to win nationals in the U-15 and U-19 categories and achieved second place in the Asian continental tourney. He has also lifted the Hoogeveen Open in the Netherlands and stood second in Spain’s Sants Open. With a FIDE rating of 2569, he currently stands in the 294th spot globally and 24th in India.
“I’m fortunate to have parents who supported me throughout the journey to GM and my uncle Ramaraju; without them, it wouldn’t have been possible. We were financially very unstable, but because of my parents and coach, I was able to become GM,” a nostalgic Bharathakoti reminisces.
Both his parents play chess, even though his father, B Uday Chander, used to accompany him to tournaments until he achieved the coveted GM title.
“Only his uncle Ramaraju plays. He would also decide tournaments for him to participate in. So, without Ramaraju, there would not have been any Harsha. All credits go to him only. He is like a godfather to him,” asserted Bharathakoti’s old man while speaking to TNIE.
For him, the only way to provide comfort to his son if he suffers a setback in the game is to treat him to “good food.” I don’t scold him or give advice about the game, as I do not know much about it, nor does his mother (B Saradha). He likes chicken biryani, so I get him that.”
Now pursuing a bachelor’s in psychology from Webster University in Saint Louis, Bharathakoti was hooked on the Candidates event — which Indian teenage chess prodigy D Gukesh won — all while attending his classes.
“I feel this was the best Candidates I have ever seen. It was very exciting, and many upsets took place. Though I didn’t have any particular expectations, I was completely surprised by Gukesh’s playing style. His game was so mature and calm, and that’s what made him win the event,” Bharathakoti summarised.
Bharathakoti is now gearing up for the Sahibkiran Amir Temur Cup in Uzbekistan, to be held later this month. “I want to reach 2600 this year, and ultimately, around 2670 is my goal at the end of this year. To improve my game, I am working with other students at my university.”
For Ramaraju, his student’s strength is his ability to analyse the game deeply. “His opening and middlegames are good, but he can work more on his endgame.”
Bharathakoti, who is inspired by former world chess champion Magnus Carlsen, wants the state government to provide scholarships and organise rated chess tournaments so that many people can play in the state itself. “Private MNCs should come ahead along with the government,” suggests his father.