Exclusive/ Koneru Humpy Shares Insights on Perseverance And The Influence Of Her Father’s Sacrifice On Her Career

Indian grandmaster Koneru Humpy recently picked up a historic win after she won the Women's World Rapid Chess Championship Title in December 2024. Her achievement helped off a great season of chess for India in 2024 after D Gukesh became the youngest World Chess Champion, and India won its first-ever gold medals in the Open & Women's categories in the Chess Olympiad. Humpy won back in 2019, and she is now the second-only player after China's Ju Wenjun to clinch the title more than once. But Humpy had also faced some setbacks on her road to the grand win, and she spoke upon tackling the challenges to make history.

Grandmaster Koneru Humpy Opens Up About Setbacks And Perseverance

In an exclusive interaction with Republic TV, Koneru Humpy spoke on facing setbacks in the year 2024 and how she persevered through it to emerge as a two-time Women's World Rapid Chess Champion. She opened up about having thoughts of retirement after losing major matches.

"There were two moments this year like that, especially after the Norway Chess, which I played in May. I was placed second from the last in the tournament. And this is the first time, I think maybe, in the last 15-20 years, I haven't been having any such bad tournament. So that was my first event where I felt I was just not able to perform at all. By then, I just got that trigger. Like maybe am I able to come play the best of the chest possible? Uh, so I was bit On low and especially after the Tata Steel Rapid and Blitz, Where I played very badly, so that's when I felt like nothing he's working for me like, whatever way I am trying. Like, I'm just failing in the tournaments continuously," Koneru Humpy said.

Also Read: World No. 2 And Four-Time United States Champion Fabiano Caruana Returns to Norway Chess 2025

Koneru Humpy Discusses The Impact Of Her Father's Career Sacrifice

Konery Humpy also opened up on the sacrifices her father made in order to develop her into a Grandmaster and then a champion in major chess tournaments.

"Being a sports person, he himself used to play all the sports in his college days. He was very passionate of making me a sports person, and especially he wanted me to learn tennis. But when I was just six years old, I saw him playing chess at home. So that's how I got attracted to this sport, and I went to him and asked about how these pieces move and what are the names and all. So that's how he started teaching me the game. So That's when he understood that if he trains me, then I would be a much better stronger player. So he gave up his career as a lecturer and then he started training me. We travelled a lot to several tournaments and initially, we faced a lot of struggles financially. It was not easy but he made all the arrangements," the two-time Women's World Rapid Chess Champion revealed.

Also Read: Chosen For Khel Ratna Award, Gukesh Promises Best Moves In Future As Well

[With PTI Inputs]