Welcome to the Q&A show at 8cross8, India’s chess online store. I am Niranjan and this series is an attempt to have lively conversations about life on & off the chess board!

Today, we have Dronavalli Harika, Arjuna Awardee and three-time world women bronze medalist with us today. Apart from being a chess champion, she is an avid traveler, occasional reader and a lover of spicy Indian food! Let’s start our conversation with Harika!

Niranjan: Let’s make a move with a question. Describe your chess self in three words!

Harika: Dreamer, Believer and Achiever.

N: How are your chess pieces doing?

H: Everything is in the right place 🙂

N: Now, let’s talk about your recent events. Can you sum up your last event?

H: My last event was World team championship. I think this is the best result as a team, not in the sense of ranking, but the direct encounter results with the top ranked teams.

N: When and how did you start chess?

H: My father taught me chess and I vaguely remember that we used to see games from a newspaper column. Later on due to family friends, i started playing tournaments just for fun and my results didn’t let me stop 🙂



N: Is there a chess player you wish to play? (Alive or dead)

H: Kramnik Vladimir

N: Is there a tournament you wish never ended?

H: Asian Indoor games 2007 as it has been brilliant in every way.

N: How have awards impacted your life?

H: Awards just motivate and encourage me to work harder.

N: A chess player you wish were alive:

A- Bobby Fischer

N: A short game you can never forget:

H: Rene Letelier Martner vs Fischer, 1960

Letelier Martner,Rene – Fischer,Robert James [E70]

Leipzig ol (Men) qual-D Leipzig (8), 24.10.1960