In a remarkable feat, young chess talent Vedika Pal has secured a podium finish at a prestigious national tournament, bringing glory to her adopted state of Rajasthan. The Nagpur-born prodigy claimed the bronze medal in the Under-13 girls' category at the 14th National Schools Chess Championship, which concluded on Wednesday in Guwahati, Assam.
From Nagpur to National Podium: Vedika's Chess Journey
Vedika's journey to the national podium took a significant turn two years ago when her mother, Dr. Mamta Pal, was transferred to Jaipur as the Director of the Geological Survey of India. Relocating from Nagpur, Vedika continued her education at Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan's Vidyashram in Jaipur and, most importantly, persisted with her rigorous chess training. While she had already won several age-category national medals while representing Maharashtra, she is now carving a niche for herself in Rajasthan, a state not traditionally known as a chess powerhouse.
A Grueling Tournament in Guwahati
The five-day national championship was held at the Sarusajai Indoor Stadium in Guwahati, featuring 12 events across 6 different age categories. Vedika entered the tournament as the third seed and was the sole representative from Rajasthan to finish on the podium. Her campaign began with a draw against Assam's Faujia Fahima Rahman.
Shaking off the slow start, the determined youngster then embarked on an impressive winning streak. She secured five consecutive victories against formidable opponents: Anwesha Goswami and Ameya Gupta (Assam), Visishta Saisri Saraswathi (Telangana), Aahna Gulati (Haryana), and Yati Agarwal (Gujarat). This brilliant run positioned her strongly among the leaders.
The Final Push for the Medal
The tournament's critical phase saw Vedika force a draw against the sole leader and top seed, Pratitee Bordoloi of Karnataka, in the seventh round, maintaining a joint second position. However, she faced her first setback in the penultimate eighth round, losing to the second seed, Aaradhya Das of Tripura.
Unfazed by the defeat, Vedika displayed tremendous mental fortitude in the final round. She outplayed Bihar's Manisha Yadav to finish the nine-round tournament in a joint third position with 7 points, just half a point behind the top two seeds. The tie for third place was broken by the progressive score, where Vedika's score of 50.5 proved superior to Tamil Nadu's Dhanyashree R and Chhattisgarh's Ishika Madke, earning her the bronze medal.
With an Elo rating of 1824, Vedika performed at a tournament rating of 1853, demonstrating her skill against the nation's best. Her achievement highlights her dedication and marks a high note on which to conclude the year 2025.
