In the final round, Bhakti took just 23 moves to make short work of tail ender Neha Singh of Bihar and qualified to represent India at the Asian Continental championship to be held in May 2016, at Tashkent, Uzbekistan. “I am very happy to bring the medal to Goa,” Bhakti said from Kolkata.
Bhakti gained 29 Elo points from this event and may soon cross 2300 mark in next rating list. Many Goan players and their parents showered Bhakti with congratulatory messages after it was announced that Bhakti won a bronze medal.
President of Goa Chess Association Vinay Tendulkar, Secretary Kishor Bandekar, Treasurer Ramdas Sawant and other office bearers sent congratulatory messages to Bhakti on her success.
Governor of West Bengal Keshari Nath Tripathy and former National Champion GM Dibyendu Barua watched Bhakti in action.
She was awarded Rs 80,000.
IM Padmini Rout (Odisha) and WGM Saumya Swaminathan (Maharashtra) won the gold and silver medals with prize money of Rs 1,75,000 and Rs 1 lakh respectively.
Padmini Rout and Swati Ghate who were in the first and second position lost to K Priyanka and Saumya Swaminathan respectively.
