A 3-year-old chess prodigy, a national award and a journey that began at home: What Anish Sarkar’s parents did right without turning his childhood into a pressure cooker

When most three-year-olds are busy learning numbers, colours and nursery rhymes, Anish Sarkar was already making history on a chessboard.

In 2024, Anish became the youngest FIDE-rated chess player in the world, earning an official rating at just three years old. His remarkable achievement eventually took him to Rashtrapati Bhavan, where President Droupadi Murmu honoured him with the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, one of India’s highest honours for children.

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But behind the headlines about the chess prodigy is a parenting story that may be even more interesting.

How do you nurture an extraordinary talent without turning childhood into a pressure cooker? Anish's journey offers Indian parents a few thoughtful lessons.

Anish Sarkar became the youngest FIDE-rated chess player at 3

Anish Sarkar’s achievement was remarkable not simply because he could play chess at such a young age, but because he had already entered the world of competitive chess.

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A FIDE rating is awarded by the International Chess Federation to players who participate in recognised competitions. For most chess enthusiasts, reaching the FIDE-rated level takes years of learning and tournament experience.

Anish did it when he was only three.

His achievement brought international attention to the young chess player and made him one of the most talked-about child prodigies in Indian chess.

Anish Sarkar’s parents noticed his interest early

The most important part of Anish’s story may not be his rating at all. It may be what happened before the rating.

Like many children, Anish was introduced to activities at home. But when his interest in chess became clear, his parents paid attention to it rather than dismissing it as a passing childhood fascination.

That is an important distinction.

Children can show intense curiosity about everything from drawing and music to football, puzzles, numbers or storytelling. Not every interest will become a lifelong talent, nor does it need to.

But giving children the opportunity to explore something they genuinely enjoy can help them discover what they are naturally drawn towards.

The parenting lesson is not ‘make your child a chess prodigy’

Anish’s story should not be interpreted as a call for every Indian parent to put a chessboard in front of a three-year-old and start preparing for tournaments.

The real lesson is much simpler: notice before you direct.

Parents often have a carefully imagined roadmap for their children. One child should become an engineer, another a doctor, another an IAS officer. Even hobbies can sometimes become competitions.

Anish’s journey offers a different approach, observe the child first.

What does your child repeatedly return to? What makes them curious? What activity can hold their attention without constant reminders?

Those clues can be worth paying attention to.

Start early, but keep the pressure away

There is a big difference between early exposure and early pressure.

Introducing a young child to chess, music, sport, painting or science does not necessarily mean forcing them into a career path. It can simply mean giving them access to something interesting and allowing them to explore it.

The crucial part is choice.

If a child enjoys something, parents can create opportunities for them to learn more. If the interest disappears, they can move on.

That balance allows children to develop skills without feeling that every hobby has to become an achievement.

Take your child’s unusual interests seriously

A three-year-old saying they love chess might sound unusual. So might a child who spends hours arranging objects, asking questions about space or trying to understand how machines work.

It can be tempting to dismiss these interests as phases.

But taking a child's curiosity seriously does not mean assuming they are a genius. It simply means giving them the chance to explore it.

In Anish’s case, that curiosity eventually led to competitive chess and an official FIDE rating.

Celebrate the journey, not just the trophy

One of the biggest traps in raising high-achieving children is allowing the achievement to become the entire story.

Anish’s FIDE rating and national award are extraordinary milestones. But behind every milestone are countless ordinary moments: learning, playing, making mistakes, trying again and gradually improving.

That is the part parents can replicate.

Not every child will become a chess champion. Not every talented child will win a national award. But every child can benefit from parents who value curiosity, persistence and enjoyment of learning.

President Murmu’s message to young achievers

Anish was among the young awardees honoured by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan in December 2024.

Speaking about the importance of recognising children's abilities, President Murmu said, "The tradition of recognising and nurturing children's potential has always been part of our culture. Their contributions will lead India to the pinnacle of progress." The quote was reported by TOI.

The President also looked towards the future of the young award winners, saying, "In 2047, when we celebrate the centenary of our independence, these award winners will be enlightened citizens of the country. Such talented boys and girls will become the builders of a developed India." The remarks were reported by TOI.

What Indian parents can learn from Anish Sarkar

Anish’s story offers a few simple lessons that have little to do with producing a chess champion.

Watch before you decide. Pay attention to what naturally interests your child instead of immediately choosing what you think they should pursue.

Give exposure without expectations. A child can try chess, music, sport, coding or art simply because it looks interesting. It does not have to become a career.

Take curiosity seriously. When children repeatedly return to the same subject, give them room to explore it.

Let enjoyment lead. If the child wants to continue, support them. If they lose interest, let them move on.

Celebrate effort as much as achievement. Ratings, medals and certificates are wonderful, but curiosity and perseverance are the skills that stay with a child much longer.

Anish Sarkar’s biggest lesson for parents

The temptation with a story like Anish Sarkar’s is to focus entirely on the extraordinary number, three years old.

Three years old and FIDE-rated. Three years old and competing. Three years old and receiving a national honour.

But perhaps the more useful question for parents is not, “How can my child become the next Anish Sarkar?”

It is, “What is my child already telling me they love?”

Sometimes the first step towards nurturing talent is not finding the perfect coach, buying the best equipment or creating a rigid schedule.

It is simply paying attention.

Because before there was a FIDE rating, a national award or a Rashtrapati Bhavan ceremony, there was a young child who found something fascinating, and parents who decided to see where that curiosity could take him.