Student Achiever: ‘This school encouraged me to participate’

She has been playing chess in class III. However, due to her father’s transferable job, she had to give it up. But luck was on her side. In class XI, she got the opportunity to pick up the game. So much so that she ended up winning the Bronze at the DSO Chess Competition organised at DR Pillai Global Academy, Panvel.

Meet Ganipisetty Niharika, a class XI student at Apeejay School, Kharghar. Competing in the Under-19 Category, she demonstrated exceptional strategic thinking, dedication, and perseverance, leading her to this remarkable achievement and making her school proud.

In a candid interview, she talks about her chess journey among other things.

Tell us about yourself.

I am in class XI. I joined Apeejay School, Kharghar this year. At present, I am pursuing Physics, Chemistry, and Math with an optional subject as Physical Education.

How did you hear about the competition? 

My Physical Education teacher gave us information about it. He came to class and talked about the competition and wanted to know if any of us played chess. I was evaluated and he found that I could chess well enough, but my tactics were a bit low. 

How did you overcome those weak areas? 

Taking chess classes helped me a lot. Without them, I wouldn’t have known my weaknesses. I used to just play the game without knowing where I went wrong. But once I started attending classes, I realised that even small mistakes could affect the whole game. My coach gave me alternatives and better moves to replace the ones I was using. Practising with people better than me also helped me understand different alternatives and moves. I also play games and solve puzzles on chess.com. 

Is there a move or a signature move that can guarantee a win? 

It completely depends on the opponent. Playing for so long, we get an idea from games we’ve seen, like from world champions. Sometimes, situations we’ve already encountered can appear again, and then we know what move to make. 

Do you practice daily to improve your game? 

I don’t get much time because managing Science is not easy. We have school till 2:30 leaving only to practice on Saturdays and Sundays when I attend classes for two hours. On weekends I practice if I have time.

What are your plans? 

Since the end of class X, for the last seven to eight months, I have been participating in public tournaments. Apeejay shares tournament information, including open tournaments in malls and other public venues. On November 24, there will be a district-level selection, and I’ll be working hard for it. Competing in public tournaments is tougher because you meet a variety of players, not just students.

How much support did you receive from your school and parents? 

I joined Apeejay this year in class XI. In my previous schools, I didn’t even know about events like DSO or Inter-school competitions. But Apeejay Education is different; they inform students about competitions and encourage participation, whether you win or lose. In my earlier schools, only popular students seemed to receive such information, but here, teachers personally inform us and encourage everyone to try.