Eleven-year-old Amaira Mittal started playing chess at the age of six. Back then, her parents Aman Mittal and Vaani Mittal would never have thought that their daughter would have 17 trophies, 4 medals, and over 40 certificates to her name at the tender age of 11.

Having secured the second rank in the Punjab State Championship (Under-7 Category), Amaira always displayed a naturally gifted skill at the game. Her hold over the game is wonderful and she spends nearly five hours every day sharpening her game and practising her chess moves. She is driven by nothing but her own interest in the game and her ambition to become an excellent player.

She likes competition and loves to play with a variety of chess players, exploring different combinations of moves that the players apply in the game. Her coaches, Dinesh and Balwinder Singh Heera have ensured that she keeps making steady progress in the game. This is well reflected by the first rank that Amaira scored in the Punjab State Level Chess Championship in the Under-13 category.

Her family has been quite supportive of her and she has never faced any opposition in the pursuit of her talent. In fact, they have never seen chess as an obstacle to Amaira’s academic growth either. They feel that chess helps her concentrate and keeps her mind active and engaged. Therefore, it makes her do better at studies. Furthermore, playing chess also ensures that her academics remain interesting to her and do not become a compulsory obligation. Amaira also keeps herself in shape by actively engaging in Badminton and loves to practise the guitar as well.

This small girl from Jalandhar is bound to accomplish great things in life. She is now pursuing her schooling at prestigious Mayo College Girls School, Ajmer and has already displayed a great deal of dedication and skill at her game, and it can only get better with time.