NEW DELHI: In this digital age, when every gesture is scrutinised under the microscopic lens of social media, a fleeting exchange at the recently-concluded Grenke Freestyle Open snowballed into a large-scale social media debate.As India’s Grandmaster (GM) Harika Dronavalli extended her hand to resign her game against Uzbekistan GM Nodirbek Yakubboev, the latter responded with a polite, folded-handed “Namaste” instead of the traditional handshake.
The clip, as soon as it landed on social media, went viral almost instantly, drawing a mixture of cultural praise and sharp criticism toward Yakubboev for “rejecting” the handshake.However, Harika has now stepped in to clear the air, expressing her disappointment over how the young Uzbek player is being treated by the digital court of public opinion.Speaking exclusively to TimesofIndia.com, Harika was quick to dismiss any notion of malice or disrespect, revealing that the exchange was far more coordinated than it appeared on the screen.“I was surprised to see these videos and people blaming him for it because I felt really bad. Especially before the game, he came and said, like, ‘I can’t do a handshake.’ I said, it’s completely fine. I mean, I understand,” Harika said.The confusion that viewers witnessed at the end of the game was not a result of Yakubboev being cold, but rather a byproduct of Harika’s own decades-long professional habits.Having played at the highest level for over 26 years, the act of extending a hand at the conclusion of a game is an involuntary reflex for the Indian legend.“In so many years, the hand just went off instinctively as I was resigning. Then when he said Namaste, I realised. I said sorry, it was just out of habit. Unfortunately, that is the one board which was having this camera on us, and that somehow went viral in a different way, which I never would want any person to be blamed for something which he didn’t do,” the 35-year-old GM remarked.‘He never did anything wrong’: HarikaFor 24-year-old Yakubboev, this is not the first time his religious beliefs have intersected with the rigid protocols of the chessboard. Last year, during the Tata Steel Challengers in Wijk Aan Zee, a similar incident occurred with Vaishali Rameshbabu, which led to significant confusion and subsequent apologies.On that occasion, Yakubboev went out of his way to present Vaishali with flowers and chocolates on the sidelines, clarifying that his refusal to touch women was rooted in his religious beliefs and not a lack of respect for his opponents.Harika, who knows Vaishali closely, noted that neither of them took offence. She believes it is unfortunate that Yakubboev is being seen in a light that contradicts his actual character.“He never insulted anyone, he never did anything wrong. He just informed. But when you see only actions, you miss the context, and you can take it the wrong way,” Harika added.Beyond the viral clip, Harika’s performance in Germany was a milestone for Indian sports, as she secured the top women’s prize and became the first Indian to qualify for the inaugural FIDE Women’s Freestyle Chess World Championship.Yet, she lamented that such catchy moments often overshadow actual sporting achievements and expressed concern that the unnecessary limelight could take a toll on a player’s mental well-being, especially when they have done nothing wrong.ALSO READ: ‘Blank mind’ and bold leap – How Harika Dronavalli cracked freestyle chess on debut“It’s sad to see certain things taking the limelight more than chess. It could have affected him mentally, which was not even needed. For me, I believe that everyone is good, everyone is trying to do their best and has their own belief system. We just respect each other and try to play chess on the board,” she concluded.
