Chess prodigy’s family told they can stay in UK
THE family of a nine-year-old chess prodigy from India has been allowed to stay in the UK due to his “world class talent”.
Shreyas Royal and his parents were told they would have to leave when their visa expires next month.
He started playing chess when he was five and has represented England a number of times in international competitions.
His father Jitendra Singh, an IT project manager, spoke of his relief that the Home Office has allowed them to stay. “We have been waiting for a very long time, it’s such a relief for us,” he said.
“We are very much happy that my son can continue.
“Shreyas became very happy and jumped on the sofa and started dancing.
“Yesterday we were packing to leave, we thought we had to go.”
He added: “Definitely Shreyas will keep representing the country.
“When we came here he was only three years old, England is his first country.”
Shreyas lives in the Woolwich Arsenal area of south-east London, with his father and mother, Anju Singh. He is a member of Battersea Chess Club, which has described him as “one of the most exciting prospects in English chess”.
Club secretary Leon Watson said he could become “a household name as England’s first world champion”.
“Shreyas is a very nice, down-toearth young man who has a big future ahead of him on the world stage hopefully representing England,” he added.
“Our country badly needs someone like this, the next Nigel Short or Michael Adams, and we firmly believe Shreyas will do us proud.”
A spokesman for the English Chess Federation said it was “delighted” by the decision and that Shreyas was second in the world ranking for his age. Shreyas, nicknamed Shrez, was described by Chris Ward, a chess grandmaster and former British champion, as “the best prospect the country has ever seen”. He started playing chess at six, eventually becoming the world’s youngest “candidate master”
The Home Office said Mr Singh had been given permission to apply for another five-year work visa.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid said: “After carefully reviewing the evidence, I have taken the personal decision to allow Shreyas and his family to stay in the UK.
“The UK is a country that fosters world-class talent.”