Tania's day out

Woman Grandmaster Tania Sachdev brought smiles to the faces of a group of invited HIVpositive children in the capital, meeting them here as part of a initiative organised on the eve of Children’s Day.
Said Tania, “It is a satisfying experience to be a part of this initiative. In my view, there could not have been a better way to celebrate the occasion of Children’s Day. I convey my heartiest wishes to these kids,”
Tania rued the fact that her busy schedule did not permit her to be a part of such causes more frequently, and expressed her wish to support these kids any way she could.
Tania, who represented India in the recent Asian Indoor Games in Vietnam, is busy preparing for the National Women Chess championship, which will be held in Chennai next month. She will start training with Lev Psakhis of Israel who will be arriving in India soon.
Asked why she had opted for a foreign coach, she said, “I have an Indian coach as well but the level in coaching is an important factor. Therefore I am learning from a foreign coach.”
She revealed that the game has had an effect on her personality. “Apart from giving me a lot of exposure, the game has transformed me as a person. Moreover, I get to travel to fascinating places and interact with people from various backgrounds. This has played a key part in broadening my mental horizons.”
Tania harbours the dream to win the World Chess Championships. She admires Vishwanathan Anand but wants to follow in the footsteps of the Hungarian chess grandmaster Judit Polgar. “Playing in a world dominated by men is an uphill task but this lady has made it look so easy. I am a big fan of the amazing talent of Polgar and would like to imbibe her qualities in myself.”
She was all praise for the FIDE commission for Women’s Chess and expressed the hope that it would help bridge the disparity between men’s and women’s chess events. “There is not enough money in women’s chess. This acts as a severe deterrent for the players. In my view, the prize money at Zonal level, Intercontinental levels and World level should be increased.”
Being a Delhiite, she sounded optimistic about the Commonwealth Games which will be held next year. “In India, everything comes together at the last moment. I am sure Delhi will do a wonderful job.”
Chess takes up most of her time. but still there are some things she loves to do during her leisure hours. “Well, I watch tennis and football whenever I am free. I am a big Roger Federer fan. I really find the Roger-Nadal on field rivalry exciting.”
She was introduced to chess by her parents who wanted to channel her restless energy. Now it has become an integral part of her life and she wants to achieve many milestones.