Wipro convinced Harikrishna is as an emerging blue-chip

At 14, Harikrishna has already altered a few records and is about to set a few more. He is not just the youngest International Master in the country. In one year, he has humbled five Grandmasters, the most famous of them being Wang Zili of China and Dao Thien Hai of Vietnam, both of whom have a high Elo rating.

Said a spokesman of Wipro, which has become the official sponsor of Harikrishna: “We’ve preferred a precocious prodigy to an icon. We want to grow with the player. We want to be identified with him.” That, coming from a firm which belongs to the third richest man in the world, is a demonstration of respect and confidence Harikrishna has earned so early in his career.

The spokesman added: “We have made a study before selecting the boy. We understand he is a potential Grandmaster. We’re confident of drawing mileage from his success.”

In chess circles, the deal is viewed with astonishment. Perhaps no one so young, not even Viswanathan Anand, could have the backing and patronage of such a deal which promises to take care of Hari’s foreign travel, stay, coaching by experts and latest computers, software on chess.

“We’ve not allocated a fixed amount for him. We’re ready to bear all his expenses, including entry fee for any number of tournaments the boy wants to participate abroad. We hope to see him as a GM in three years,” said the Wipro spokesman.

“We’re happy with the deal. We could not have asked more,” said Hari’s mother Padma. “Three years, no way. He will be a GM in two years from now,” felt All-India Chess Federation secretary general Ummer Koya.

VR Boba, who was one of Harikrishna’s coaches in his formative years, says he had predicted the boy’s triumph at the World under-10 meet, and also about the IM title. He now said: “Hari will become a GM in two years. My predictions never went wrong.”

Harikrishna’s grandfather, Ranga Rao, who has been associated with the boy’s career since childhood, is confident that his grandson will be a GM in two years, super GM with an Elo rating of 2600 in five and a world champion in 10 years.

With the present Elo rating of 2345, Harikrishna has a long way to realise his grandfather’s dreams. He will be playing his first National A this year. But with the patronage of such generous sponsors, Harikrishna, who completed the formalities of IM title in three months, might well realise the dreams of not only his grandfather but the whole country.

Then Chilakaluripeta may not invoke fear and horror.

FACTFILE

International

1996: 1st in World Under-19 in Menorca Spain; 1st in world U-12 rapid chess in Disneyland Paris.

1997: 5th in World U-12 in Cannes, France.

1998:

3rd in World U-12 in Iran; 5th in World U-12 in Castellon, Spain; 1st in Children’s Olympiad, Istanbul, Turkey.

1999: 1st in U-14 Commonwealth meet in Bikaneer, India; 7th in World U-16 Youth chess festival in Spain; 1st in Asian U-14 Youth championship, Ahmedabad.

2000: 1st International Master norm in 2nd Asian seniors individual championship in Udaipur; 2nd IM norm in Goodricke International Open in Calcutta; 3rd IM norm and title in Sangli International Commonwealth meet in Sangli; 1st in U-14 Asian junior Youth chess in Tehran, Iran.

Nationals

1993: 1st in U-8 meet in Palakkad.

1995-96: 1st in U-10 at Delhi; 1st in U-12 meet in Calicut; 1st in U-12 rapid chess in Calicut.

1997: 1st in U-12 rapid chess in Chennai.

1998: 1st in U-15 meet in Bikaner; 1st in U-12 meet in Ahmedabad; 1st in U-18 meet in Bikaner; 1st in U-15 meet in Aurangabad; 1st in U-14 rapid chess in Guntur.

1999: 1st in FIDE-rated Open in Cochin; 1st in FIDE-rated Open in Calicut; 6th in National B (qualifies for National A) in Mumbai.