She slipped into the City almost unnoticed! Well, for Dronavalli Harika, the champion chess player it is not an unusual experience. Yet, for someone who notched up a historic hat-trick of World Championship bronze it could have been a different experience on Monday morning when she arrived in the City from Tehran.
The usual buzz when a champion returns from abroad was missing. Reason? Harika’s family, like her feats on the 64 squares, is known for being quiet spectators — letting things unfold rather than making them happen.
Commendable effort
By no means, can Harika’s achievement be dismissed lightly. In a sport played in more than 130 countries which demands the same level of commitment, preparations and skills to be finish in the top three like any other discipline, this smiling superstar has definitely done the country proud.
But again, the big question remains. Where are the awards and rewards for this gifted sportsperson? By all considerations, Harika is a Hyderabadi having settled here long back (moving over from Guntur) to pursue her chess career.
Non glamourous
It is an acknowledged fact that Olympic disciplines are given the preference when it comes to awards and rewards. But again, there are instances when the State government had gone out of the way or beyond the laid down Sports Policy to shower incentives and Harika certainly deserves a better deal.
The fact that the family is hesitant even to approach someone who can take them to the higher-ups is a sad story of a system which fails to recognise the champion performers from the less glamorous disciplines.
Will someone in the State Government on their own take up Harika’s case is the big question now?
