WIMKalyani Sirin

Kalyani Sirin began chess at nine in Kerala, joining an academy with her cousin. She learned the basics from Ragunathan Menon and later trained with E. P. Nirmal and grandmaster Stany G. A. During the pandemic she spent several hours a day studying the game. She won the Kerala women's championship in 2023 and competed in the open section of the 2024 World Junior Championship. In 2024 she won three gold medals at the Commonwealth championships and earned the Woman FIDE Master title. Her parents supported the substantial travel and training costs while her school in Kodungallur allowed her to attend tournaments.