Bhakti awarded Candidate Master Title

World Schools Under 17 Girls Champion
Bhakti Kulkarni earned yet another feather
in her cap when she was awarded the Candidate
Master title by FIDE which is the World Governing
body in chess. Bhakti also has the Woman FIDE
Master title and double World Under 8 Girls Champion
Ivana Furtado has the Woman Candidate Master title.
Thus, the 16 year old student of Parvatibai Chowgule
College in Margao creates history and becomes
the first Goan to earn an 'open' title in Goa.

Bhakti's ELO rating in the January list is 2208.
The Woman International Norm holder is presently
ranked second among Indian Girls (under 18) and is
ranked 5th among Asian Girls (under 18). The Monginis
Brand Ambassador is also ranked 13th among
Indian ladies which is a commendable accomplishment.
Former National Junior Girls Champion Bhakti has also
earned 21 precious ELO rating points from the
National 'A' Women's Championship in New Delhi but these
points will only be added in the April FIDE Rating list.

Bhakti's coach Dronacharya awardee Raghunandan Gokhale
stated that her next target would be the completion of her
Woman International Master title. AICF Vice President
Sameer A. Salgaocar congratulated Bhakti and hoped that
she would continue to earn more laurels for Goa and
India.

http://ratings.fide.com/card.phtml?event=5019516