Parental Guidance

The supporting role world chess champion D Gukesh's father played in his career highlights the role of parents dedicating their all to their child's success as a sportsperson

- INDRANEEL DAS

When D Gukesh was crowned chess world champion—the youngest ever—in Singapore last month, his father Rajinikanth was by his side. At the venue, moments after Ding Liren played that infamous move, an anxious Rajinikanth—who is also Gukesh’s manager—was seen pacing outside the media centre. Thousands of miles away his wife, Padmakumari, could not take the tension anymore and stopped following the game live. Later she admitted that she was too nervous and was only informed about her son’s victory by her relatives. Myriad emotions would have flashed through the couple’s minds: The sacrifices the family had to make, the troubles and tribulations they had to go through.

An emotional Gukesh recalls the sacrifices his parents made to make him world champion: “I’ve been dreaming about this moment since I started my chess journey when I was about seven years old. The dream was probably bigger for them than it was for me. In 2017 and 2018, when we were running low on money, my parents’ friends sponsored me. My parents had to make many lifestyle changes so that I could play.” Gukesh’s father took a break from work to accompany his son around the world. An ENT surgeon, Rajinikanth, did not consider it a sacrifice. On the sidelines of the World Championship, he told media that it is the duty of the parents to support their kids. Taking a break from his practice was a choice they had to make. Since his wife worked in the government sector and could not afford to take too many leaves, the responsibility to go the extra mile for Gukesh fell on him. His decision was rewarded with a Winter of Contentment.

It is winter in Delhi. The temperature has dropped, and so has the visibility. The cold pierces through the flesh and grips the bone. Yet, as dawn beaks, Rakesh Dahiya makes his daily trip to deliver milk, curd and