NEW DELHI: In a quiet corner of Bathinda, Punjab, the soft clack of chess pieces echoes every evening, not from the hands of a seasoned master, but from an eight-year-old girl with an unblinking gaze and a mind wired for strategy.Tanishka Garg, just 8 years and 4 months old, has officially become Punjab’s youngest female player to earn an international (FIDE) chess rating.At an age when most children are deciding between dance class or a new cartoon to obsess over, Tanishka is rewriting her state’s chess history.
The recognition, published on August 1 by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), follows the starlet’s strong performance at the National Under-9 Championship held in Gurugram this June.However, the road that led here began with a spark that no one saw coming, until it became impossible to ignore.
I only started sending her to coaching classes because I had to make dinner, and it was easier without the children around.
Tanishka Garg’s mother
“My son used to play chess at home; he was only six years old. So he started playing at home, then he played some games in school and performed very well. I felt he needed a coach,” recalls Tanishka’s mother, Meenu Garg. “I searched nearby, and a little far off in our state, there was Candidate Master (CM) Pankaj Sharma Sir. He gives coaching to kids and is also a friend of my husband. I talked to him and said, ‘Sir, I want to send Mukul (my son),’ and he agreed. He said, ‘I’m busy all day, but you can send him between 8 to 9 in the evening,’ and I agreed.”The story took an unexpected turn just days later, thanks to little Tanishka, who wanted to partake in on her brother’s new routine.“After two days of coaching Mukul, Tanishka said, ‘Mom, I also want to go with brother.’ So, as a mother, thinking practically: it was dinner time, and she was a small child, just 4.5 years old, I thought, ‘Let me send her too, it’ll be easier for me,’” Meenu says with a chuckle.
Young chess player Tanishka Garg from Bathinda in Punjab. (Photo by Special Arrangement)
“I only started sending her to coaching classes because I had to make dinner, and it was easier without the children around.“Within a week, around ten days later, I asked Sir how Mukul was doing, and he replied, ‘Mukul is good, but your daughter is something else!’ I said, ‘Sir, please don’t joke with me.’ But he was serious — said she picked up everything, even how to move the pieces so quickly, that he started giving her online school resources too, and she began improving rapidly. He told me, ‘Ma’am, you should take this seriously.’ So I did.”‘Your daughter is something else’A month later, the 2017-born was scoring points in school tournaments. She was so underestimated that others tried helping her mid-game.“They thought she was just playing for fun. No one realised she was competing,” says Meenu. Since then, the medals haven’t stopped.To start, the third-grader has played five nationals and has three state titles under her belt.From scoring three points at an open tournament in Sangrur as a 5-year-old to becoming Under-7 Punjab state champion in 2024, Tanishka has collected multiple titles, including in school games and under-9 categories.“She’s played more tournaments than I can count,” says Meenu. “She’s also among the top students in her school, with beautiful handwriting in English, Hindi, and Punjabi. But what really sets her apart is her temperament. She never asks for food or water during matches and never leaves her things scattered. She’s extremely disciplined and soft-spoken.”A Mother’s GambitTanishka’s father, Bhushan Garg, is a businessman. Meenu, a housewife with no background in sports, has thus found herself becoming a one-woman army, juggling school schedules, travel plans, and every detail of her daughter’s chess journey. But recently, she took her most daring step yet.On International Chess Day (July 20), she organised a one-day tournament in Bathinda with players from across India, including Sirsa, Ganganagar, Haridwar and Yamunanagar.“I organised it entirely for my daughter to gain experience. I expected 100 entries; after players turned up in huge numbers, and we had to close at 160,” Meenu says. “We had three halls booked, one for children, two for parents. Every child got a free lunch. It wasn’t profitable, but the learning was priceless.”
Tanishka Garg’s mother organised a tournament featuring youngsters from nearby regions and far. (Photo by Special Arrangement)
“There was also a specially abled child who came to participate, so I had a special trophy made just for him. It was truly heartwarming to watch him play. We even held a session for parents, which was very well received. People are still calling me, saying, ‘Ma’am, when will the next tournament be?'”‘Results come when parents dedicate early’To earn a FIDE rating, a player must compete in at least five rated games and perform at a minimum level of 1400. For Punjab Chess Association president Ankush Kathuria, Tanishka’s achievement is more than personal glory.“She’s the youngest FIDE-rated female from Punjab. Her success proves that results come when parents dedicate early, like in the South, where kids start at 3 or 4,” says Kathuria. He admits that Punjab still lacks top-tier coaching infrastructure.“We have only one International Master, and no Grandmaster. But we’ve already spoken to the All India Chess Federation (AICF) to conduct Grandmaster coaching camps. Her success gives us and other parents a reason to invest.”
Young chess player Tanishka Garg from Bathinda in Punjab. (Photo by Special Arrangement)
Tanishka, meanwhile, is undeterred by competition, whether it’s boys, older players, or large crowds.“She never even asks who she’s playing against,” Meenu says. “She just plays. In Vrindavan, out of 350 kids, she was again awarded ‘Youngest Player from Punjab’. That’s her seventh such title.”Her training now continues under Saurabh Arora (offline) and Deepak Batra (online). Her path is being charted carefully: no back-to-back tournaments, no pressure. She skipped the Delhi GM tournament in July to prioritise the under-9 nationals.“My dream is for her to become an IM or WGM, maybe even GM,” her mother admits. “But I don’t pressure her. Many kids cry after losing; their parents shout. I’ve never done that. She plays happily, and that’s enough for me.”
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