SL Narayanan is the grandmaster of knocking down opponent's pieces on the chessboard. However, Narayanan's years of hard work to land a meritorious government job has been resting in the chief minister's office.

Winner of national and international chess competitions since school days. Medal at the Junior Commonwealth Games. The 25-year-old's achievements in the Asian Championship, Chess World Cup and Chess Olympiad are countless. Narayanan applied to the government for a job requesting to take this into account. AA Rahim MP and Kadakampally Surendran MLA came to congratulate him after he was selected to the Indian team for the Chess Olympiad and recommended that Narayanan be given a job. After receiving no response, Narayanan's parents met the Sports Minister. The minister offered all support and informed that the file was in the chief minister's office. On reaching the chief minister's office, the official said to apply when the sports quota appointment is announced. The office is also not ready to give a written reply that the job cannot be given.

Should have sent him for PSC

Narayanan passed with 100 percent marks in 10th and plus two. More than 90 percent marks for graduation as well. Narayanan's teachers in the college said that Narayanan is a boy who should go for UPSC training. Whereas Narayanan had no interest in giving up chess.

Narayanan's mother said that if Narayanan had been sent for PSC coaching, he would have had a job now. Narayanan's sister, who was a national chess player, is a bank officer.

Leina says that while people like Pragnananda are being celebrated in Tamil Nadu, chess players here have no value. In 2014, Narayanan received government assistance for training. It was very difficult to convince the authorities at that time that foreign coaches charged three hundred to four hundred dollars an hour. Now training is done with the prize money won from international tournaments.

Certificates that are not useful even for sweeper job

A former sportsperson who read the Kerala Kaumudi series described his plight: I won several medals at university and inter-university level. Knocked several times on the door of the sports council for a temporary job. In 2016 I applied for the job of attendant in Kottayam Employment Exchange. Certificates were also given, thinking that I would get some consideration as a sportsman. I did not get the job when the recruitment was made. When I inquired, the reply was that a sports certificate is not worth anything and they will consider if there is a letter from politicians. I decided to tear up the certificates which were not useful even for sweeping work. I told my cousin, who was about to go to the school meet, to stop playing sports and start focusing on academics. What other advice can I give that sister?