Father quit job, pawned jewellery to fund chess dream: Olympiad-bound Savitha's story

Times of India — Top Stories · 5 Aug 2026, 12:30 am

Savitha Shri Baskar never set out to become the family’s chess star. She first picked up the game by watching her elder brother, but soon became the one her father chose to back. He quit his job in Singapore, pawned jewellery and stretched the family’s finances to keep her career going. Now, at 19, Savitha is headed to the Olympiad.

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