'People still ask, 'Chess is fine, but what do you really do?'': Arjuna Awardee Vantika Agrawal | Chess News - The Times of India

"Before chess, I was involved in a lot of activities, like skating, dancing, music, art, cricket, and more. I mean, I was playing all kinds of sports and engaging in these activities," said Vantika. "The challenge that I faced is like (one) I'm still facing. In north India, there is no culture of chess. In the south, you have academies, but here, no culture," she admitted. Lack of a chess culture led to existential questions. "If someone asks what you do, and you say, 'I'm a chess player,' their response is usually, 'Okay, but what do you actually do? What are you studying?' I think it's still the same story, even after winning so many medals. People still ask, 'Chess is fine, but what do you really do?'" she said with a chuckle. “I won two gold medals at the Olympiad, but I’m still not getting invitations to top-tier tournaments,” she remarked.