By Kusumanjalee Thilakarthna
PHOTOS © KRISHAN KARIYAWASAM
A.G. Hansadie Aradhya Akuratiya is a budding chess champion from Ratnapura who recently emerged as the national champion in the age 10 category at the Sri Lanka National Youth Chess Championship 2022 organised by the National Chess Federation of Sri Lanka. Following this achievement, Hansadie was selected to represent Sri Lanka in the forthcoming Western Asian Youth Chess Championship 2022 in the Maldives, Asian Youth Chess Championship 2022 in Indonesia, and the World Cadet Chess Championship 2022 scheduled to be held in Georgia. Hansadie says her main inspiration for becoming a chess player is her sister who is also a chess player and has won many tournaments.
Q: Hansadie, tell us more about yourself.
A: I am 10 years old and I am a student of Ferguson High School, Ratnapura. I have an elder sister. Her name is Javindi. My hobbies are singing, dancing, and swimming. Most of all, I love to play chess.
Q: Can you remember what inspired you to start playing chess?
A: It was because of my sister. I was about five years old when I got the opportunity to witness my sister taking part in international tournaments. I went to many countries with her. It was really interesting and I wished that I could also play chess like my sister. That dream led me to the victories I have achieved today.
Q: Introduce your sister to us too.
A: Her name is Jalindi Akuratiya. She is 15 years old. She goes to the same school as me. She represented Sri Lanka and won third place in the Asian Schools Blitz Chess Championship which was held in Iran in 2016. That’s a wonderful memory for all of us.
Q: Do you have any experiences in different countries?
A: When I became the first runner-up in the girls’ under seven National Youth Chess Championship organised by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka, I was selected to participate in Asian and world youth events in 2019 which were held in China. Unfortunately, we could not attend due to the pandemic. I could only participate in the World School Chess Championship 2019 where I represented Sri Lanka. It was held in Turkey.
Q: How does playing chess make you feel?
A: It is actually a very happy and relaxing time for me. It’s a great experience.
Q: Some say that chess is a smart people’s game. Do you agree?
A: Yes. Chess is a good exercise for our brain and it helps you think and act fast. It helps our brain to improve and helps us to make fast and correct decisions.
Q: What is your favourite chess piece?
A: The queen.
Q: Is there a particular reason for that?
A: The queen can move in a lot of directions. Other pieces can only move in one direction. But the queen can move in any direction from her position and she can go as far as she wants to.
Q: Is it a must to keep your queen safe to win a game of chess?
A: It is very important, but that doesn’t mean you absolutely must have the queen on the board to win the game. Sometimes, if you are strategic enough, you can win a game without your queen.
Q: Who trains you?
A: Initially, it was my sister who taught me everything about chess. Then my school coach Jagath Ketalawala and my private coach Rajeendra Kalugampitiya helped me a lot to improve my skills.
Q: You said singing and music are among your hobbies too.
A: Yes. I study western music and currently, I am learning to play the piano. I have been learning to play for two or three years now. I really enjoy that too.
Q: What is your ambition Hansadie?
A: My dad is a businessman. I want to become a businesswoman in the future as well. I will study more about business and will become a great businesswoman.
Q: What is your most memorable day?
A: It was back when I was in Russia. We were there because my sister was participating in a tournament. I was able to experience snowfall and that was the best day of my life.
Q: What is it like to have your own sister as your role model?
A: I feel really lucky to have her beside me. She is the one who taught me everything about chess when I was little. It is a great joy for me to share this passion for chess with her.
Q: Is there anyone you want to thank?
My dad, mom, and my sister who’ve helped me a lot.
My school and my coaches for giving me knowledge.
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Headline:
Hansadie Aradhya Akuratiya’s achievements
Most recent achievements
- National Champion 2022 – age 10, girls’ category in Sri Lanka National Youth Chess Championship 2022 which was organised by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka
- Selected to participate at the Sri Lanka Schools Individual Chess Festival, under seven girls’ category organised by the Sri Lanka Schools Chess Association
- Represented Sri Lanka at the Asian Schools Chess Championship 2018 which was held in Sri Lanka
- First runner-up at the under seven girls’ category, National Youth Chess Championship organised by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka and was selected to participate in the Asian and world youth events in 2019
- Selected to participate in the World Cadet Chess Championship 2019 which was held in China
- The first runner-up in the under seven girls’ category in Sri Lanka Schools Individual Chess Festival 2019 organised by Sri Lanka Schools Chess Association
- Was selected to participate in the Asian and World Schools Chess Championships in 2019. She only participated in the World Schools Chess Championship 2019, representing Sri Lanka, which was held in Turkey.
- Kolonnawa Chess Classics 2017 – under six girls’ champion
- Fourth Negombo Chess Festival 2018 – under six girls’ champion
- 10th Ethugalpura Chess Championship 2018 – under six girls’ champion
- Kalutara Chess Festival 2019 – under seven girls’ champion
- Fourth SSC International Chess Championship 2019 – under seven champion
- Third Black Knights Chess Championship 2019 – under seven girls’ champion
- 10th Buddhi Chess Championship 2019 – under seven girls’ champion
- 11th Ethugalpura Chess Championship 2019 – equal first and won the Best School Girl Player award
- Eighth Kalutara Chess Festival 2020 – under nine girls champion.