New Delhi, Former world rapid chess champion Koneru Humpy believes that the national federation should identify and train promising players and increase women's tournaments to develop the next generation of women chess prodigies.
In recent times, men's football has gained popularity with young Indian talents like R Praggnanandhaa and D Gukesh making waves on the world stage.
By contrast, women's football has struggled to match this trajectory, with Humpy, 37, and Harika Dronavalli, 33, still considered the leading figures.
"The percentage of female players is quite lower. I think we probably need to have more women's tournaments," Humpy said during an interview.
"We need to pick talented players and train them. That is the most important factor to have a next-generation lineup or else what will happen is that we might have two or three strong players now.
"But if you don't focus on the next generation, the gap would be quite big. You won't see players coming up again for the next 10 to 15 years. That's the difference between China and India," she added.
The Indian Grandmaster cited the example of China, which has become a chess powerhouse since the breakup of the Soviet Union.
"The Chinese keep adding talents one after another. When the career of the best player ends, you will see the next generation players emerge.
"The federation probably needs to work a lot on women's chess," Humpy said.
While most sporting events were canceled or postponed during the COVID-19 pandemic, chess flourished thanks to online tournaments.
"During the pandemic, chess gained a lot of popularity. I think we are the only field that has been used during COVID in a positive way.
"(There were) a lot of online tournaments and since there was no work, the number of spectators also increased."
The 2006 Asian Games champion believes that the younger generation of Indian players has benefited greatly from greater exposure to online tournaments.
"I think that from then on the chess boom began to occur in India.
"If you look back at Arjun (Erigaisi) or Praggnanandhaa's ratings, they all started improving rapidly after the pandemic because they were getting a lot of exposure in these online games and tournaments."
On a personal level, Humpy, who gave birth to a daughter in 2017 and stayed away from chess for almost two years, is still learning to balance motherhood with her career.
"It's quite a challenge for me. Sometimes I also feel quite agitated. Because it was actually much easier when my baby was only one year old. She would leave her quietly with my mother and travel.
"But now that he is seven years old, he always wants me around. Even at home, when he comes home from school, has to do his homework or wants to play, he always wants my presence. This way I have less time to play chess." .
"Sometimes during a tournament I feel like I haven't practiced enough. That's why I'm still struggling to get back."
But her motherhood has taught her a couple of things that have helped her on the chess board.
"I have learned to be flexible. As a teenager, my schedule used to be very professional and even a small interruption would affect my performance, but that is not the case since I became a mother.
"Before, I risked every match because winning was my motto. But after my return, I am a more stable and stable person," she added.
Humpy has missed the ongoing Olympiad and her next appearance will be in the Global Chess League, where she will participate in the Mumba Masters.
Speaking about the GCL, she said that the league has brought the chess community together.
"On the board, it's competitive as always. But off the board, we get a chance to have more fun. We have players from all over the world, not just India."
After the GCL, she will compete in the second Women's Grand Prix event in Kazakhstan, followed by the Tata Steel Rapid and Blitz event in Kolkata in November.
In recent times, men's football has gained popularity with young Indian talents like R Praggnanandhaa and D Gukesh making waves on the world stage.
By contrast, women's football has struggled to match this trajectory, with Humpy, 37, and Harika Dronavalli, 33, still considered the leading figures.
"The percentage of female players is quite lower. I think we probably need to have more women's tournaments," Humpy said during an interview.
"We need to pick talented players and train them. That is the most important factor to have a next-generation lineup or else what will happen is that we might have two or three strong players now.
"But if you don't focus on the next generation, the gap would be quite big. You won't see players coming up again for the next 10 to 15 years. That's the difference between China and India," she added.
The Indian Grandmaster cited the example of China, which has become a chess powerhouse since the breakup of the Soviet Union.
"The Chinese keep adding talents one after another. When the career of the best player ends, you will see the next generation players emerge.
"The federation probably needs to work a lot on women's chess," Humpy said.
While most sporting events were canceled or postponed during the COVID-19 pandemic, chess flourished thanks to online tournaments.
"During the pandemic, chess gained a lot of popularity. I think we are the only field that has been used during COVID in a positive way.
"(There were) a lot of online tournaments and since there was no work, the number of spectators also increased."
The 2006 Asian Games champion believes that the younger generation of Indian players has benefited greatly from greater exposure to online tournaments.
"I think that from then on the chess boom began to occur in India.
"If you look back at Arjun (Erigaisi) or Praggnanandhaa's ratings, they all started improving rapidly after the pandemic because they were getting a lot of exposure in these online games and tournaments."
On a personal level, Humpy, who gave birth to a daughter in 2017 and stayed away from chess for almost two years, is still learning to balance motherhood with her career.
"It's quite a challenge for me. Sometimes I also feel quite agitated. Because it was actually much easier when my baby was only one year old. She would leave her quietly with my mother and travel.
"But now that he is seven years old, he always wants me around. Even at home, when he comes home from school, has to do his homework or wants to play, he always wants my presence. This way I have less time to play chess." .
"Sometimes during a tournament I feel like I haven't practiced enough. That's why I'm still struggling to get back."
But her motherhood has taught her a couple of things that have helped her on the chess board.
"I have learned to be flexible. As a teenager, my schedule used to be very professional and even a small interruption would affect my performance, but that is not the case since I became a mother.
"Before, I risked every match because winning was my motto. But after my return, I am a more stable and stable person," she added.
Humpy has missed the ongoing Olympiad and her next appearance will be in the Global Chess League, where she will participate in the Mumba Masters.
Speaking about the GCL, she said that the league has brought the chess community together.
"On the board, it's competitive as always. But off the board, we get a chance to have more fun. We have players from all over the world, not just India."
After the GCL, she will compete in the second Women's Grand Prix event in Kazakhstan, followed by the Tata Steel Rapid and Blitz event in Kolkata in November.
