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        Siblings taking up the same sport and making a mark is not uncommon these days. In chess, a game that has seen players from Tamilnadu, especially Chennai win laurels, a brother-sister duo is making waves and aiming to break into the higher league with impressive performances in recent days.

        S Venkat Sundaram and his sister Harini have in the recent past done well in State and national-level tournaments and are aiming to gain international recognition sooner rather than later. Incidentally, they won State championship in their respective sections in the under-18 category in 2003.

Venkat, a III year student of Loyola College, is good at academics apart from his prowess in chess, having represented Madras University thrice. A 10th place finish in the Asian Junior Championship at New Delhi from among 62 competitors is something he cherishes.         Recalling his initiation into the game, Venkat said they (brother and sister) took up chess in the year 2000 and it has not been an easy ride ever since. Despite being set back by financial constraints, the two have soldiered on in pursuit of excellence.         Hard work never goes waste and this is evident in the case of Venkat and Harini. While Venkat has performed creditably over the years and hopes to secure an International Master (IM) title quickly as it would help him gain entry into bigger tournaments.

S Venkat Sundaram and sister Harini

        Harini, buoyed by a fine performance in the National 'A' Chess Championship for women in Chennai late last year, is confident of raising her level of play.

        Trained by V Hariharan over the years, the twosome have progressed significantly in the last season. Harini landed the title in the State under-25 championship last year and ever since she has shown the ability to take on and beat the best.

        A great fan of Vishwanathan Anand, she aspires to be a name to be reckoned with in the sport. Having beaten the likes of J E Kavitha and Sai Meera in the National 'A', her rating is expected to rise when the next FIDE list is out.

        'My aim is to become a top Grand Master and be among the best.' Harini told News Today.

        The lass has been invited by the Bhimavaram Town Chess Association in Andhra Pradesh where she will be felicitated for her achievements. For the promising player and her brother, sponsorship will be more than just welcome as they aim to break into the big league.