[1]Kerala boy S.L. Narayanan, who captained India to bronze medal at the World Youth Under-16 Chess Olympiad held at Istanbul in Turkey, was given a rousing reception in the capital on Friday.
The 14-year-old boy from Thiruvananthapuram, wi-dely regarded as a future Grand Master, was the mainstay of the five-member Indian team that finished behind champions Russia and runner-up Iran.
Speaker G. Karthikeyan, youth affairs minister P.K. Jayalakshmi and Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholic-os were among those who welcomed him at his scho-ol, St. Mary’s HSS in Pattom.
Narayanan, who was the runner-up in national sub-junior championship held last year, is seen as the best in line to become Kerala’s second Grand Master after G.N. Gopal.
“I was nervous on the way to Istanbul, but felt very happy flying back. I thank my teammates for working hard together,” said the humble lad, for whom it was just the third tournament abroad.
Dr. Varkey Attupurath, principal of the school, said Narayanan was equally good at studies. “He has done the nation proud and he will be great one day,” said Dr. Varkey.
He was also runner-up in the state senior championship and is the youngest Kerala player to have earned an International Master (IM) norm, which he got at the world junior in Chennai last year.
Links:
[1] http://archive.asianage.com/chessjpgcropdisplayjpg-248