NEW DELHI: Last week, 13-year-old Women FIDE Master (WFM) Follow Bordoloi made history for India in Montesilvano, Italy. Competing in the FIDE World Youth Chess Championship 2026, the Bengaluru-based youngster bagged the silver medal in the Girls Under-18 category.Coming in as the 16th seed with a FIDE rating of 2129, the Shishya BEML Public School student produced a stunning campaign, scoring 9 points in 11 rounds against players up to five years older than himself.India fielded 13 players in six sections, but Flöte went home as the country’s only medalist, earning his first WIM rule and earning more than 129 points in the Elo rating. Behind this historic podium finish lies a fascinating duality and perhaps a story of a quiet, introverted teenager who treats chess endings like mathematical equations, balances all orders of life, and shares a unique birthday with a chess legend.
The Kasparov connection
Follower was born on April 13, 2013, exactly 50 years after the legendary Garry Kasparovwho was born on April 13, 1963. Beyond the shared birthday, his coach, Grandmaster Pravin Thipsay, noticed a distinct tactical similarity.“Some of the characteristics I have seen. Even in a bad condition in a tournament where he is behind by a point or something, he plans it well to try to beat so that he can come out on top,” Thipsay told TimesofIndia.com during an exclusive interaction.
Six-time World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov
However, Thipsay emphasized that Ploegee is far from a one-dimensional athlete, adding, “Ploegee is not a perfect chess player. He is a mathematical wizard, and he tops all the exams.”Her mother, Pranti Dutta Bordoloi, recalled how her daughter’s journey was organic during the COVID-19 pandemic.Without rigorous formal training, a 9-year-old student shocked everyone by winning the 2022 Karnataka State Championship, followed by the National Under-9 title in Indore six months later.“She was still very good at calculations, at maths,” Pranti told this website. “He used to give Maths Olympiad from grade one and he got a gold medal in SOF IMO. Only at that time I thought that he is also good at chess, because he is also good at Maths Olympiad.”Despite his rapid rise, his family remains deeply committed to a stable life. “Honestly speaking, we are not that kind of person that, ‘leave everything for chess only.’ Our first preference is always to study. Not at the expense of studying, because in the end you have to be educated, otherwise life is unbalanced.”
Focus on independent thinking
“Compared to his age group, he is more mature as a person, and has a very high logic base,” said Thipsay. “If you tell him something is good or bad, he doesn’t accept it blindly. He asks until he is satisfied, and that persistence is very important.”This analytical mindset makes him a rare commodity in junior chess. “He is one of the few players who never gets tired of studying the endings or finding the right moves because he sees it as a logic base. In mathematics, he is very good,” added the veteran Grandmaster.During last year’s World Cadet Cup, where Flegete took gold in the Under-12 Girls category, she built a unique system with Thipsay. He preferred to rest immediately after his matches, waiting until the tournament pairings were published in the evening.
Follow Bordoloi’s current coach Pravin Thipsay (PTI Photo)
“After the pairing was out, which was around nine o’clock there, which means 10:30 pm by Indian time, he said, ‘I want to have a one-hour class or one and a half hours class,’ and we used to study,” revealed Thipsay. “He’s very prepared … he wants to know everything about a position.”This hyper-focus allows him to think independently of the board. “Dr. Lasker (Emanuel Lasker) said that the duty of a trainer is to teach students to think independently. He has that capacity,” said Thipsay.
Keep the pieces grounded
Despite the growing spotlight, Flöge maintains strict personal discipline, balancing a 9-to-10-hour sleep cycle with physical training using a punching bag and cycling.With his mother holding a PhD in Artificial Intelligence from Christ University and his father working for a leading IT company, Flegete was raised to ensure that the ferocity of competition remained confined to the chessboard.
Follow Bordoloi at the FIDE Youth Chess Championship (Special Arrangements)
“I always told her that if you also won, just don’t show your happiness in front of your opponent because she must be feeling very horrible at that time,” shared Pranti.ALSO READ: The making of India’s 97th Chess Grandmaster Harshavardhan GB. A ‘legend’ among friends, now the pride of his parentsDuring a recent media interaction, the 13-year-old was asked about his future. “He gave two answers,” his mother recalled proudly. “One is, ‘I want to be a world champion.’ And the second time he said beautifully, ‘I want to play well.'”