Sengupta: Bright future

Jamshedpur, Aug. 26: After remaining out of limelight for a while, international master Deep Sengupta has romped back to form.

He was the joint winner at the recently concluded Dutch Open held at Dieren.

The youngster has claimed a title after almost two years.

Sengupta has been in the country’s chess circuit for quite some time now. He is presently in Spain. There he and a bunch of top chess players from the country are competing in four open tournaments.

The 19-year-old Sengupta’s win has given Chakradharpur, where he is based, something to rejoice. His parents, too, are basking in the glory.

Umapad Battabyal, the secretary of the Chakradharpur Chess Association, said: “The win in the Dutch Open has come at the right time for Sengupta. It would not only boost his morale but would also lead him to perform well in tournaments organised abroad.”

Sengupta is on a three-year scholarship from Oil and Natural Gas Commission.

A BCom final year student in a Calcutta college, he has come across success and failure in his life as a chess player.

“He is a determined player who knows how to regain form. Sengupta is a hard working player and is also very analytical in approach. The overseas tournaments will keep him in good stead,” said Battabyal.

His elder brother, Pratik, is a former national champion in the under-8 age category.

Things were not easy going for Sengupta at the Dutch Open. After a tough battle, the event ended in a threefold tie between grandmasters L’Ami, Van den Doel and international master Deep Sengupta, all of whom had scored 7 out of 9 points.

Sengupta has also won the national championship six times and bagged the commonwealth title three times. The youngster also pocketed the world under-12 title in Madrid in 2000.

“He is certainly a role model for Chakradharpur. Sengupta’s success rubs on other upcoming players,” said a young cadet at the Chakradharpur Chess Academy. Priyanka Kumari, who is representing the country in the Asian Youth Championship at Dubai, is a classic example, he added.

Besides the deft moves across the board, Sengupta is also an accomplished student. He stood third in the state at the intermediate examination.

Desperate for a job, the scholarship of the Oil and Natural Gas Commission has been a big boost to his life.

“He’s got a three-year scholarship. He’ll be absorbed into the company once he becomes a grandmaster,” said Battabyal.

Sengupta, who had earlier been sponsored by Tata Steel, had been pursuing employment for some time.

“A permanent job is very necessary for me. I’m searching for a job and hope the Tatas would offer me one,” he had said about two years ago.

The grandmaster title will not be too difficult for Sengupta to grab.

“He has regained the form and confidence. The Dutch Open is an example of how well he is playing. He’ll be the first person from Jharkhand to become a grandmaster,” said another functionary of the Chakradharpur Chess Association.