Here's a piece of news for those wanting to have a year-end bash with a difference. We all knew how good Tania Sachdev is on the chequered battlefield, but that this south-Delhi girl has “always wanted to become a DJ" was surely a scoop. "I love music, and a DJ can influence so many people, pep up their mood and make them dance," says Tania. So, if you are looking forward to ushering in the new year grooving to beats, you know whom to have as your 'DJ with a difference'.
But for now, the 22-year-old Grandmaster is happy doing what she does best — playing chess. "I'm very passionate about my game and loving every bit of it," says Tania, who also wants to try out TV news anchoring.
Girl next door
Like any other girl of her age, she loves shopping. And though she’s sporting an Ashima Singh dress this Christmas (seen here), Tania mentions that she’s a denim girl and loves colours. “I like teaming them up with bright, vibrant colours,” she says. “Orangish, purple, red… they are so festive,” adds Tania, who feels that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan “is the most elegantly dressed” Bollywood celebrity.
“Even Bipasha [Basu] carries herself really well in all sorts of outfits.” And what about her other favourites (read men)? Any dream date she would love this Christmas? "I'd like to have [MS] Dhoni as my dream date," blushes the young lady. "It's not that I'm a cricket fan, but I really admire the way he manages everything on field." With the Test series against England in India’s bag, would MSD really mind contemplating a rather beautiful date in the Capital? "But otherwise, I love Abhishek Bachchan," says Tania. "He may not be the best of actors, but with looks like that, who cares?”
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Such harmless crushes aside, this young chess talent has another, steelier side to her, which surfaces when she talks about the Mumbai terror attacks, which took place when she was touring abroad, and politicians’ response to the public suffering. “We have never seen such a massive, planned attack... it was ghastly,” she says, seething with anger like so many others of her generation. She doesn’t mince words while reacting to the then Maharashtra deputy chief minister’s remarks that “such small incidents can happen”.
“These people [ministers] move around with an entourage of bodyguards, and then speak like this. How ridiculous!” exclaims Tania, even as she recollects the sumptuous dinners she has had at the Taj in Mumbai.
Voiceover
Such harmless crushes aside, this young chess talent has another, steelier side to her, which surfaces when she talks about the Mumbai terror attacks, which took place when she was touring abroad, and politicians’ response to the public suffering. “We have never seen such a massive, planned attack... it was ghastly,” she says, seething with anger like so many others of her generation. She doesn’t mince words while reacting to the then Maharashtra deputy chief minister’s remarks that “such small incidents can happen”.
“These people [ministers] move around with an entourage of bodyguards, and then speak like this. How ridiculous!” exclaims Tania, even as she recollects the sumptuous dinners she has had at the Taj in Mumbai.
Make a wish
Tania dreams of emulating Viswanathan Anand for sure, but what else is “special” in her life? The blush resurfaces. “Well... I’m single,” comes after much thinking. And the “career now” thoughts invariably follow. The lovely lass has one “shareable” Christmas wish: “I wish the people in Delhi were more compasionate about the city.”