PANAJI: Woman Grandmaster Bhakti Kulkarni returned home from Spain on Monday, after clinching the Silver medal as part of ‘Team India’ at the World Women’s Team Chess Championship. This was also the first time that India bagged a medal at World Women Team Chess Championship where only top teams are invited by FIDE(the World Chess Federation).
For Bhakti, this was her fourth medal in the last one year as a member of the India team, the list of which includes gold at the online Chess Olympiad last October, gold at Asian Women’s Cup, bronze at World Chess Olympiad this year.
With tremendous consistency being displayed by Bhakti, the Margao-based chess star is now one of the front-runners for Arjuna Award with her name recommended by All India Chess Federation; says a press release.
Bhakti was given a warm welcome at the Dabolim airport, by Goa Chess Association secretary Sharendra Naik, treasurer Kishor Bandekar, executive member Balakrishna V, MTCA member Aschut Naik, Anil Patil among others; according to a communique by the state chess body.