Sakyasen Mittra
The metamorphosis is complete. From that shy smiling girl of 2012, Aparajita Gochhikar is now a much more confident, erudite person. But then why shouldn’t she be? Her ever-increasing successes in chess tournaments at home and more importantly abroad has transformed her into a confident person who is ready to take on the challenges of the harsh world.
But then Aparajita shouldn’t just be judged by her international medals only. Her story is that of defying social norms, braving diseases and trying to perfect the art of mastering the game of 64 squares. She recently finished with the silver (women’s category) and bronze (open category) in the World Amateur Chess Championships at the Halkidiki Islands in Greece – a very creditable performance, no doubt. But that’s just one side of the story. Untold are the facts when she in 2014 suffered setbacks, but did not lose heart and soldiered on to glory.
“Singapore in 2014, was a nightmare for me as far as this tournament is concerned,” she states as she sips from her smoking cup of cappuccino at a coffee shop just opposite XIMB in Bhubaneswar. She refuses to eat… she is too full with the biriyani she had cooked for dad and herself before dropping by for a tete-a-tete.
“I was affected by a disease which used to cause severe head pains. I never could sit at one place at length. Those were dark days indeed… at one point of time I thought I would have to give up chess. But things started to change in 2015. I finished sixth last year in the same event and from then on I dreamt of winning a medal. Thankfully, I achieved my goal this time,” added Aparajita, looking cool in a beige salwar kameez with polka green dots.
But at what point of time did she realise that a medal was in her grasp. “Well I won my sixth round match from a losing position and then emerged victorious in the seventh and eighth rounds. It was then I realised that a medal was mine. As an added incentive, I also bagged the bronze finishing third in the open category.”
For all her successes, Aparajita credits her parents Ramnarayan and Ita Gochhikar as well as KIIT. “The education scholarship really helped, whenever I have asked for any assistance, I have got it from Achyuta Samanta Sir,” she informs.
Belonging to the Puri ‘Sebayat’ clan, life initially had not been easy for Aparajita. “Forget girls, no boy in my society has done what I have achieved,” she informs. ‘In our society, girls are married off at 16-17 and when I reached that age there was immense pressure on my dad to follow the same path.
“Now you can ignore one, two or even three intrusions. But when there are hundreds, one is bound to be affected. Thankfully, my dad stood firm. He said ‘Whatever Lovely (Aparajita’s nickname) wants, will happen’. When my mom pressured my dad he said that he will stop eating at home. I will forever, be indebted to him,” states another of Orissa’s chess stalwarts.
Aparajita played nine rounds at the Halkidiki Islands, winning five games, drawing three and losing one to the Mongolian girl who became the champion. The eldest of three siblings, however, informs that her results could have been better had she got proper coaching. “I took some online advice from a Ukrainian Grandmaster, but then that is so expensive. I had to stop… and I prepared alone for the entire tournament. I can bet that none of the other competitors in the event did that,” she states. “In fact some of them were surprised that even without a proper coach, I could do so well.”
And this is where, the Puri girl is in the dark about her career. Success has motivated her, increased her determination manifold and she now dreams big. But then the harsh reality of finance hits her and the dreams, even if they don’t fade away, stall. “No one knows how expensive chess is. If you appoint a proper coach, he/she can charge you approximately $200 (Rs 11,000) per hour. At times, I shudder when I think about the future,” she confesses with pangs of desperation affecting her voice.
But in spite of all the hindrances, she will not give up. “I will go to Sri Lanka during July last to play in the Commonwealth Chess tournament. Hopefully, I will do good there too,” she informs.
Her travails around the world have taught her life is not easy. Even this time around she foiled a snatching bid in Athens while trying to buy perfumes (she likes). “Arrey, everyone told me not to go out alone, but I did. They tried to snatch my ring, but I pulled my hand away and ran. Frightening though,” she points out.
Talking about the advantages her opponents have, Aparajita is quick to point out that ‘they are more updated’. “We don’t get any facilities like they do and yet we compete with them and beat them also,” she states with a smile. “As I said, nothing to stop you, if you are really determined to get it.”
True indeed girl. Go for it, the world will bow to your grit.
