My congrats to the champ. This is something for all of us to be proud of. Mervyn.
On Fri, Jun 3, 2016 at 9:30 AM, Bhakti Kulkarni <[email protected]> wrote: > Bhakti Wins Asian Women Championship and a Seat in World Women Championship > > Women Grandmaster and Goa Carbon Limited Goodwill Ambassador Bhakti > Kulkarni of India won the prestigious Asian Women Chess Championship at > Tashkent(Uzbekistan) today evening. Bhakti remained unbeaten in the star > studded Championship and won a seat in World Chess Championship.Bhakti was > also awarded $5000 as prize money. > > Grandmaster Dronavali Harika ,who had won Asian title in 2011 was the first > one to congratulate Bhakti from Hungary. She wrote to Bhakti-“Welcome in > the World Championship. Congrats for winning the title for India. Now work > harder!!” Bhakti gave credit of her win to her coach and mentor Dronacharya > Raghunandan Gokhale who prepared Bhakti everyday on net. “Hats off to > Gokhale sir. He knew exactly what strategy to adopt and I just followed > it.” > > Raghunandan Gokhale is a happy man. His wife Anupama had been twice winner > of Asian Women Championship in 1985 and 1987. “Now we waited for nearly 30 > years for one of my students to do it. Both myself and Anupama are proud of > Bhakti!” > > Bhakti was rank outsider in the seeding list. She was 16th seed among 34 > top Asian players from China,India,Iran,Vietnam etc. However she played > aggressively and took an early lead by a scintillating win over top seeded > Sarasadat (Iran) in 4th round and never looked back. > > Bhakti was elated after her last round fighting draw with Vietnamese > Grandmaster Hoang Thi Bao Tram. Bhakti’s entry into the World Championship > is a big boost for Indian chess as only the Asian Champion is allowed to > play there. > > Bhakti will return to Goa on 6th June from Tashkent via Delhi. > > > > > > > *Ms. Bhakti Kulkarni,* > > *Goodwill Ambassador for GCL,* > *International Woman Grand Master,* > *Goa,India.* >
