Chennai Grand Masters: With daughter in tow, ‘guilt’-free Harika takes on the best | Chess News
Chennai: Life has not been easy for D Harika in the last few years.While India’s No. 2 female Grandmaster has been tackling rivals on the 64 squares, she has also been raising her “little princess” Hanvika. When she is playing abroad, more often than not, Harika cannot have Hanvika around, but playing in Chennai is different. The Hyderabad woman will get to spend time with her two-year-old daughter even as she tries to give a good account of herself in the 10-day Chennai Grand Masters tournament.“I am extremely happy that I can play close to my home. Actually, this is the first time that I have come with my daughter for a tournament. The event gives me a chance to come with my family,” said Harika, who will go for glory in the challengers section.“Chennai is so close to my place and I can send her back home (if needed). I am happy that my daughter could witness my life in a way. I took her to the playing hall and put her on a chair. I made her move the pieces and it felt good,” said the 34-year-old.
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Harika admitted that she feels guilty whenever she stays away from her kid while on chess duty. “Any mother will relate to this. I always have that guilt when I leave my daughter back home. Of course, I would love to take her everywhere, but the weather conditions and food are different. There is a lot of hassle as well,” said Harika.She picked world champion D Gukesh as the “best” babysitter in the current crop of Indian youngsters. “I saw Gukesh do it in Delhi and I was really surprised with the way he handles kids. I genuinely did not know and I was very impressed with his way of handling.”‘Want to challenge myself’: Harika has put the Women’s World Cup disappointment behind her – she lost to eventual champion Divya Deshmukh on tie-breaks in the quarterfinals – and is keen to show her mettle in Chennai. “I do not take my results to heart. I am ambitious, but I never think that there is a last tournament that I should focus on. When I got the invitation for Chennai Grand Masters, I was glad that I got this chance. I want to challenge myself here and see where I am standing,” said the veteran.
