Guinness record holder kid aiming to become GM in chess

Hyderabad, May 16 (UNI) Wonder kid V Raghav Srivasthav who entered the Guinness Book of World Records on January 23 last year, at the age of six, by spelling 50 English words backwards in two minutes and 40 seconds is now training here to become a Chess Grand Master(GM).

Srivastav, whose father was a journalist gave up his job in Nizamabad and shifted to Hyderabad to offer training in Chess to his child prodigy son.

Talking to UNI, Srivastav, who is also a dancer and actor said his aim was to become a Grand Master in chess.

Srivastav spelt 15 eight-letter words, 15 seven-letter words and 20 six-letter words backwards to receive the Guinness honours.

He received felicitations all over the state. The State Bank of Hyderabad(SBH) has gifted him a computer.

He learnt Chess through his computer and ended up defeating it.

Amazed by his ability in Chess, his parents decided to bring him to Hyderabad for offering advanced coaching in the sport.

They were, however, shell-shocked when they came to know that coaching and participation in major tournaments costs Rs seven lakh a year.

The determined parents Sham Sundar, a post graduate and Krishna Veni a graduate with training in Telugu teaching had recently met Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and urged him for a house site and help from the government for Raghav's training.

Ms Veni said though she was eligible to become a Government teacher, as the state administration was recruiting teachers on a large scale, she had decided not to join the service, as it might affect her child's future.

The couple are now running around NGOs and Corporate organisations to get sponsorship for the young boy.

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