Judit Polgar encouraged me to pursue chess, says Savitha Shri

India's sole individual gold medalist at the 2026 Olympiad, Savitha Shri, has revealed that chess legend Judit Polgar played a crucial role in encouraging her to continue with the sport. In an interview, Shri shared that she had considered quitting chess two years ago but was motivated to persevere by Polgar's words.

Polgar, a former world champion and one of the greatest players in chess history, told Shri: "This is your chance." The encouragement came at a pivotal moment when Shri was contemplating stepping away from competitive chess.