How Savitha Shri's family sacrifice and fierce determination shaped her Chess Olympiad run

Game Saver

Nineteen-year-old international master Savitha Shri pulled off a stunning win for the Indian women's chess team at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, turning a dead draw into a decisive victory when the team desperately needed it.

Career Path

Savitha started playing chess at the age of four. When her early talent became clear, her father Baskar quit his job as an electrical technician in Singapore and moved back to India to become her full-time chaperone. His savings, which he expected to last five to ten years, ran out in under three years due to the high costs of travel and coaching. At age six, she played in an exhibition match against Magnus Carlsen when he visited Chennai ahead of his 2013 World Championship match against Viswanathan Anand.

Olympiad Run

Before Samarkand 2026, Savitha was not in the original plans and only joined the team as a reserve player to give rest to Koneru Humpy, Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh, and Vantika Agrawal. She has since won each of the seven games she has played, while India suffered a defeat to Poland in the one round she sat out.