Priyanka Kumari

Jamshedpur, July 23: Priyanka Kumari made Chakradharpur proud by clinching bronze in the Asian Youth Chess Championship hosted at Iran’s capital Teheran from July 15-21. India won six gold, five silver and 10 bronze at the championship, which saw participation of 221 players from 15 countries.

Priyanka, who turned 13 recently, claimed the third slot in the under-14 girl’s section, finishing behind an Uzbek player and Padmini Rout of Bhubaneswar. The youngster, who hogged headlines by pocketing gold in the same meet in the under-12 age group, hails from a modest family of railway town Chakradharpur.

Confirming Priyanka’s achievement, Umapad Battabyal, the secretary of the Chakradharpur Chess Association (CCA), said the talented youngster, who has an Elo rating of 1987, has certainly made the entire chess fraternity of Jharkhand proud with her fine stint in Tehran.

“She’s a superb player, who makes some fine moves across the table. She also has a good hold over the end game. Priyanka is bound to improve in the days to come,” Battabyal told The Telegraph, adding the budding chess player would be reaching home tomorrow.

Priyanka, a Class VIII student of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Chakradharpur, has been able to make gradual strikes in chess, winning both national and state championship with aplomb.

Her father, R.S. Prasad, is a steno with the electrical department of South Eastern Railway. Priyanka’s sibling, Rama, has also clinched titles in the state chess championship.

The talented lass learnt the nuances of the game under Amit Kumar Medda, a former chess player. “Her concentration level is very high. It belies her age,” said Battabyal.

A bit of push from the Jharkhand government would not only boost Priyanka’s confidence, but would also help her win more laurels for the state at the national and international-level, he said.

Besides stamping her authority at the Asia level, Priyanka has left an impression as a prodigious chess player in the country. She emerged under-12 national champion in New Delhi in November 2006. The win paved way for her to get drafted in the national team for the Youth Asian Championship in Teheran.

Priyanka finished eighth in the World Championship (under-12 age group) held in Spain this year before grabbing the runners-up slot in the Commonwealth meet in New Delhi in February, 2008.