Warm Welcome For Sasikiran
By Arvind Aaron

Chess grandmaster Krishnan Sasikiran was given an enthusiastic reception when he returned to Chennai after Combined Team India won the gold medal in the Asian games team chess championship. Sasikiran was the captain of the three member Indian team which comprised of Harikrishna and Humpy.

Among those who received Sasikiran at the Chennai airport was J.C.D.Prabhakaran, Vice President of the Tamil Nadu State Chess Association, AICF Secretary D.V.Sundar (who arrived earlier in the day from Qatar), TNSCA, Chennai and Kanchi District chess association officials and chess players. IM Manuel Aaron, coach of the Indian team also returned along with Sasikiran.

Large number of people were present. "I think there were more people to receive him this time than when he became and grandmaster and returned to Chennai," observed his mother Jayshree Krishnan.


Speaking to the media on arrival from Qatar, Sasikiran said the intensive training camp organised by the AICF at Chennai with GM Lev Psakhis helped. "As a team we had excellent coordination in the team and that was a crucial factor in the team winning," said Sasikiran. Asked about the performance in the rapid chess, Sasikiran said, "by the time I came to form that event ended."