Steel city youngster Adhiraj Mitra loves to beat rivals of higher age groups across the chess board, after starting the game two-and-a-half-years back.

The 9-year-old belies his age with intelligent moves and looks set to take big strides in future.

"I feel happy and satisfied defeating players of higher age groups. And I have done so, mostly recently in the state under-18 chess festival," Adhiraj, a class IV student of Loyola School said.

Besides claiming the under-18 title, Adhiraj also topped the competition for under-12 and under-10 section of the chess festival, besides finishing runner-up in the under-14 age category.

The young player, who works 10-12 hours on the chess board under his maternal uncles Dushyant and Abhishek Das, both international players, had also emerged champion in the district under-18 online chess event conducted earlier this year.

"I dream of someday becoming a world champion. I will do everything to realise this dream," said Adhiraj, who also loves roller skates and is fond of watching cartoons.

Adhiraj, who idolises Norwegian Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen and is a big fan of Viswanathan Anand, did not compete in the recently concluded online national under-18 meet as he wanted to participate and win the under-14, 12 and 10 age groups at the chess festival organised earlier this month by All Jharkhand Chess Association.

Adhiraj is a trainee of Tata Chess Centre and is currently getting online lessons from chief coach Jayant Kumar Bhuyan. He is getting the required support from his parents Uttam and Runa Mitra of Sonari.

"We are aware of our son's talent. He is making impressive progress in chess and we support him to the hilt. We want him to someday become the world's youngest Grandmaster," said Uttam, a businessman.

Homemaker Runa added Adhiraj is addicted to chess and spends 10-12 hours on the board. "We want him (Adhiraj) to pursue the game. We know he is going to make steady progress in the game. We want him to someday make it big in chess," she said.

Adhiraj had met Viswanathan Anand when the Grandmaster was in Jamshedpur to promote his book Mind Master in February last year. He had always wanted to play with the five-time world champion. The dream came true when Adhiraj went up to Anand at the JRD Tata Sports Complex where Vishy was meeting 200 chess enthusiasts and requested the Grandmaster for a game. To the boy’s utter delight, Anand said yes.

“I cannot forget that moment. Though I played for just five minutes with the great Viswanathan Anand, it was an unforgettable experience,” Adhiraj recalled.

“Adhiraj is extremely talented and a quick learner. He is the boy to look out for in future,” said Tata chess cradle chief coach Bhuyan.

State chess association secretary Neeraj Kumar Mishra, an International Master, also heaped praise on the skills of the kid. “Adhiraj is set to make more improvements in his game. He is an intelligent player,” he added.