Indore (Madhya Pradesh): “When you are away from your country and feel homesick, you easily get connected to Bangladeshis and Pakistanis or anyone from Asian nations,” said international chess master Akshat Khamparia.
Khamparia is the first international chess master from central India and convenor of the MP Chess ad hoc committee, which organised the recently concluded Open/Girls Chess Championship. Akshat may not be an NRI but he spends most of his time abroad participating in various chess tournaments.
Akshat has, hence, been invited to the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas Conference which begins on Sunday.
Akshat started playing chess at the age of six and has been residing in Indore for the past 16 years with his family. Talking to Free Press, Akshat said, “Indore is one of the fastest developing cities in the world. I am pretty sure that soon it will be a technical hub like Bangalore.”
“The PBD Conference will really boost Indore’s prospects. People residing in different parts of the world are arriving to attend it. It will promote the city and the state at the global level and this will also help the sports sector,” he said.
Asked about the areas in which Indore can do better, the Katni-born chess player said, “In most developed countries, I have seen people drinking water straight from the tap as it is clean and drinkable. I think we need to address the problem of safe drinking water in this forum.”
“We also need to address the public transport system which can reduce the traffic load,” he added.
The scent of India
“Whenever I travel abroad, I carry Indian food for my friends. Jiwan Singh, a noted Paris-based artist, was so elated to have the ‘kachoris’ I had brought for him that instead of gobbling up the same, he first took its aroma and felt the Indianness and then ate it to his heart's content,” Akshat shared.
Facelift required for Central Museum
His recent visit to the Central Museum in Indore left him disappointed. He said the museum was not well-maintained and hoped that the administration took better care of it which showcased the rich history of the city and the state.
'Rau ki kachori, Sardar ji ki lassi’
There is not an Indorean who doesn’t miss Indori food when he/she is away from the city. For Akshat, it is “Rau ki kachori” and “Sardar ji ki lassi” which he misses the most when he’s travelling. Asked about his favourite places in Indore, Akshat mentioned the names of Dollar Market, Rajwada and Lalbagh Palace.
‘Har Ghar Shatranj’
Akshat’s love for chess is clear in his message for Indoreans. “If I have to sum it up in a few words, I will say “Har Ghar Shatranj’. That is my vision for chess in India. Chess, as a game, helps in improving a person’s mental ability. It is not a physical sport, but it helps in sharpening your mental strength. So, I want every house in India to have a chess board. That is why, I even try to gift a chess board to my friends and relatives.”
