New Delhi (Agency): An 8-year-old girl named Jasveen Kaur was recently prevented from participating in the Under-11 Telangana state chess selection tournament, triggering outrage and sparking a revolt among the state’s chess players and parents. The Telangana State Chess Association (TSCA) President K.S. Prasad was responsible for barring Kaur, causing parents to boycott the event and prompting discussions about forming new chess associations.
The national and state chess bodies in India have long been criticized for treating upcoming chess players and their families like “pawns,” according to local players. The exclusion of Kaur has added fuel to existing discontent. “We are planning to register Hyderabad District Democratic Chess Association (HDDCA). The byelaws are almost ready,” said Kandi Ravi, Senior National Chess Arbiter and FIDE Trainer.
The reason for Kaur’s exclusion, as explained by her father Rishpal Singh, was that he had raised questions against the state association. “Prasad also told, that my wife and I should come in person and give an undertaking that we will not raise questions against the state chess association,” Singh said.
The incident has not only led to protests but has also resulted in about 300 chess players, parents, and organizers forming the Telangana Democratic Chess Development Committee (TDCDA). Their goal is to manage the game in a more “democratic manner,” according to Ravi.
Dr. Ediga Anjaneya Goud, Chairman of the Sports Authority of Telangana, and Ravinder Singh, Chairman of the Telangana State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd, have also intervened to support the young girl. She was eventually allowed to play from the second round onwards, but “the damage has already been done to the child,” noted Singh.
Singh has further stated that his demands included basic amenities like proper toilet facilities at tournament venues and travel allowances for players. He has filed a complaint with the All India Chess Federation (AICF) about his daughter’s ban but has yet to receive a response.