Chess prodigy’s family turns to crowdfunding for Europe circuit. It took Deekshitha Modipalli one month to jump 29,200 ranking spots in world chess. Her 484-point Elo surge also earned her the International Master norm. Now the 14-year-old faces a harder opponent: money.
Her father Sheshadri Nayudu, an IT professional from Andhra Pradesh, has launched a Ketto campaign to raise ₹15 lakh. In 4 days, 14 donors gave ₹51,000. The target is modest by elite sport standards, but crucial.
The breakdown is stark. Coaching: ₹3-4 lakh/year. Training fees: ₹3 lakh. Airfare: ₹2 lakh. Tournament fees: ₹2 lakh. Food and travel: ₹2 lakh. Visas: ₹30,000. The family plans to use the funds for a couple of European tournaments — the bare minimum to chase more norms needed for IM and GM titles.
“Crowdfunding remains a route rarely taken in Indian chess,” the report notes. Unlike cricket or badminton, chess has few corporate sponsors in India. Support usually comes only after a player becomes a super-GM. For those in the 2200 rating range, costs are billed hourly and often unaffordable.
Sheshadri says ₹25-30 lakh annually is needed to sustain a push. With one-on-one coaching now at ₹3.5-4 lakh/year, the ₹15 lakh target is “bare minimum”. If raised within a year, he believes Deekshitha can become an IM.
India has produced 96 grandmasters. But the pipeline is thinning for girls outside metros with private backing. Ethan Vaz and others made it with family resources or early sponsors. For most, Europe is expensive: coaches, travel, boarding.
The family’s gamble reflects a larger problem. Talent is not enough. To convert a rating jump into titles, players need consistent exposure. Without institutional support, parents are left crowdfunding.
Deekshitha is already headed to Turkey for a tournament. Whether she gets to Europe again depends on strangers on the internet. In a sport of 64 squares, the biggest moves may happen off the board.