Emily Chan
Ashwath’s father, Sriram Kaushik, said that his son began learning how to play chess at 4-years-old through a chess website designed for kids.
He added that neither he nor his wife played the game and that Ashwath regularly played against his grandparents when he first started out.
Now, the boy spends up to seven hours per day practicing and studying the game.
“It’s surreal as there isn’t really any sports traditions in our families,” said Sriram. “Every day is a new discovery, and we sometimes stumble in search of the right pathway for him.”
