Calculation whiz, cricket nut: Making of jr world champion

The 18-year-old from Chennai who marked his arrival as a force to reckon with seeks a sponsor, and hopes to cross the 2700 Elo mark this year

- Susan Ninan

BENGALURU: Pranav Venkatesh was five-and-a-half years old when he first laid eyes on an intriguing chess set. He was visiting a relative in Chennai and there was a chessboard set up with pieces shaped like animals. Pranav watched as his father, Venkatesh, lost to his eight-year-old cousin in the games they played.

Once they returned home, Pranav badgered his father for a similar chess set. They hunted for it, had little luck, and eventually bought a regular one and Venkatesh taught his son how the pieces move. "I was particularly fascinated by how the knight moves," Pranav says. "I enjoyed the game because of the calculation and my love for chess just kept growing."

It's been less than a day since the 18-year-old from Chennai was crowned world junior chess champion in Petrovac, a coastal town in Montenegro. The Indian teen is sleep-deprived and overjoyed with a long flight back home ahead of him. "I have a world title now," Pranav tells HT, almost in self-assurance, and promptly looks at the bigger picture. "Maybe it will help with getting more tournament invitations. I hope to play the World Cup in India this year. Crossing 2700 Elo and qualifying for the World Championship cycle are definitely goals too."