AICF recommends Goan chess stars for Cash awards

Two time World Under 8 Girls Champion Ivana
Maria Furtado and National Junior Girls Champion
Bhakti Kulkarni have been recommended for
cash awards totalling Rs. 190,000/- to the
Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs for performances
in the year 2007 by the All India Chess Federation as
per the press release on the official AICF website.

Monginis Brand Ambassador Bhakti Kulkarni
will be eligible for Rs. 40,000/- for the silver medal
which she won in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Ivana will
be richer by Rs. 100,000/- for the Gold medal in the
World Youth in Turkey and Rs. 50,000/- for the Gold
medal in the Asian Youth in Al Ain, U.A.E. Their coach
Raghunandan Gokhale, India's first Dronacharya awardee,
will also get coaching awards for their performances as well
as for the two Bronze medals of Shalmali Gagare (in Asian
and World) and Gold Medal of Shardul Gagare in the Asian
Youth Championships.

This run of success started after both the girls stood
third in the national championships in their respective
categories in 2005. As per the new AICF dispensation
and thanks to the confidence they enjoyed with the Ministry,
there were three entries sent officially for both the Asian Youth
and the World Youth and that is where the Goan kids managed
to capitalise. The previous AICF body would generally send
only the first placed player in the Nationals to the World Youth
and only the second to the Asian Youth. In this method,
the third place never figured in the teams for official
participation.

'This year, we will apply for even more spots,' said the
AICF Vice President Sameer A. Salgaocar and that way
'there is a chance that 4th placed Harikrishnan can participate
as a selected player in the World Youth and Asian Youth in
the year 2008 itself'. The previous performance of the Indian
kids should stand them in good stead when the proposal is
put up to the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs and we
should all cross our fingers for young Harikrishnan!