Born 50 yrs after Kasparov! How Pratitee became India's lone medallist at World Youth Chess

NEW DELHI: Last week, 13-year-old Woman FIDE Master (WFM) Pratitee Bordoloi created history for India in Montesilvano, Italy. Competing at the FIDE World Youth Chess Championship 2026, the Bengaluru-based youngster clinched the silver medal in the Girls Under-18 category.Entering as the 16th seed with a FIDE rating of 2129, the Shishya BEML Public School student produced a sensational unbeaten campaign, scoring 9 points out of 11 rounds against players up to five years older than herself.India fielded 13 players across six sections, but Pratitee returned home as the country's sole medallist, securing her first WIM norm and gaining over 129 Elo rating points. Behind this historic podium finish lies a fascinating duality and perhaps a story of a quiet, introverted teenager who treats chess endings like mathematical equations, balances all arrays of life, and shares an uncanny birthday with a chess legend.The Kasparov connectionPratitee was born on April 13, 2013, exactly 50 years after the legendary Garry Kasparov, who was born on April 13, 1963. Beyond the shared birthday, her coach, Grandmaster Pravin Thipsay, notices distinct tactical similarities."Some of the traits I see. Even in a bad condition in a tournament where she’s lagging behind a point or something, she plans it well to try to beat so that she can do at the top," Thipsay told TimesofIndia.com during an exclusive interaction. However, Thipsay stresses that Pratitee is far from a one-dimensional athlete, adding, "Pratitee is not completely a chess player. She’s a mathematical wizard, and she comes first in all the exams."Her mother, Pranti Dutta Bordoloi, recalls how her daughter's journey unfolded organically during the COVID-19 pandemic.Without rigorous formal training, a 9-year-old Pratitee shocked everyone by winning the 2022 Karnataka State Championship, followed by the National Under-9 title in Indore six months later."She was still very good at calculations, at maths," Pranti told this website. "She used to give Maths Olympiad from grade one and won a gold medal in the SOF IMO. That time only I thought that she should be good at chess also, since she's good at Maths Olympiad."Despite her rapid rise, her family remains deeply committed to a grounded life. "Honestly speaking, we are not that kind of person that, 'leave everything behind for chess only.' Our first preference is always studies. Not at the cost of study, because ultimately you have to be educated, otherwise life will not be balanced."Focus on independent thinking"Compared to her age group, she’s much more mature as a person, and the logic base is very high," Thipsay noted. "If you tell her something is good or not good, she's not going to accept it blindly. She questions till she is satisfied, and that perseverance is very important."This analytical mindset makes her a rare commodity in junior chess. "She’s one of the few players who is not bored with studying endings or finding out the accurate moves because she finds it very logic-based. Mathematically, she's very sound," the veteran Grandmaster added.During the World Cadet Cup last year, where Pratitee secured gold in the Under-12 Girls category, she established a unique system with Thipsay. She preferred resting immediately after her matches, waiting until the tournament pairings were published late at night. "After the pairing was out, which is about nine o'clock there, which means 10:30 p.m. by Indian time, she would say, 'I want to have a one-hour class or one and a half hours class,' and we used to study," Thipsay revealed. "She's so thorough in the preparation... she wants to learn everything about a position."This hyper-focus allows her to think independently on the board. "Dr. Lasker (Emanuel Lasker) said that the duty of a trainer is to teach the pupils to think independently. She has that capacity," said Thipsay.Keeping the pieces groundedDespite the growing spotlight, Pratitee maintains strict personal discipline, balancing a 9-to-10-hour sleep cycle with physical training using a punching bag and cycling.With her mother holding a PhD in Artificial Intelligence from Christ University and her father working at a leading IT company, Pratitee has been raised to ensure that competitive ruthlessness remains confined to the chessboard. "I always used to tell her that if you also won, just don't show your happiness in front of your opponent because she must be feeling very horrible at that time," Pranti shared.ALSO READ: The making of India's 97th Chess Grandmaster Harshavardhan GB: A 'legend' among friends, now his parents' prideDuring a recent media interaction, the 13-year-old was asked about her future. "She gave two answers," her mother recalled proudly. "One was, 'I want to be a world champion.' And the second time she said beautifully, 'I just want to play well.'"Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.