Goa's Chief Minister announces Rs. 2 lakh award for Bhakti!
Bhakti Kulkarni's consistent efforts in the field of international chess
were rewarded when Goa's Chief Minister Digamber Kamat announced a special
grant of Rs. 2 lakh for her at his residence in Margao recently. Mr. Kamat,
who is a keen sportsman himself and has consistently supported the cause of
Goan chess, decided without any hesitation whatsoever when he was approached
by Bhakti's father Pradip Kulkarni for financial assistance.
Bhakti, who is Goa's only titled player and is a 10th standard student of
Mahila Nutan English High School (Margao), has long been considered as one
of the leading sportspersons in Goa. The Woman FIDE Master has been
successful in winning 4 International Medals and had recently won the Silver
medal in the Asian Youth Girls Under 16 Championships which concluded in
Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
She is coached by India's only Dronacharya awardee in the field of chess
Raghunandan Gokhale who praised the generous grant of the Goan Chief
Minister and added that many more 'laurels' awaited Bhakti and Goa in the
arena of chess!
Mr. Kamat lauded the efforts of Bhakti and said that the State would support
her efforts financially allowing her to totally focus on the game. Later on
the floor of the Goa Assembly, he also made a mention of the efforts of AICF
Vice President and GSCA President Sameer A. Salgaocar, who had contributed
towards the new found success of the Goan players in the international level
in a large way.
Photo at http://www.goanet.org
SOURCE: Sameer A. Salgaocar - President - Goa State Chess Association; Vice
President - All India Chess Federation
