Champ Ram wins MSSA’s first gold after COVID-19 break

Ram Parab of Yashodham HS

Ram Parab, 13, of Yashodham High School and Junior College, Goregaon, had the honour of claiming the first gold medal at a Mumbai Schools Sports Association event post the resumption of sports activities since the COVID-19 disruption in 2020. Ram won the MSSA boys' U-14 chess tournament at the St Sebastian High School Hall, Chembur, on Tuesday.

"My idol Magnus Carlsen recently won the World Chess Championship and I'm hoping to play like him. I was introduced to chess by my father, Vishal, and I immediately enjoyed it. I don't train at any academy. I self-learn by playing against the computer from where I have learnt many openings and strategy. Besides studying and playing chess, nothing else interests me," Ram, a Class VI student, told mid-day. In the seven-round contest, Ram drew just one game, against Mitank Maru of VCW Arya Vidya Mandir, Bandra, and clinched the gold with 6.5 points. His schoolmate Janmesh Chauhan claimed silver with six points, the same as Hriday Maniar of VCW Arya Vidya Mandir, Bandra, who also won silver.

MSSA General Secretary, Esmeiro Figueiredo, was mighty pleased to see MSSA's inter-school sports activities resume after two seasons.

"We commenced this season with chess and tennis [both started yesterday]. The squash tournament will begin on Wednesday. We have obtained all necessary sanctions to conduct non-contact sports and are following all the necessary protocols, including hand sanitisation, and social distancing. We plan to conduct tournaments across seven non-contact sports. Badminton, athletics, table tennis and mallakhamb are the other four," said Figueiredo added.