KZN chess starlet Shreeya Mahadeo dreams of representing her country on the global stage

Durban-based Shreeya Mahadeo began her competitive journey with chess at seven years old. Since then, she has grown exponentially in the sport. To the point where she is ready to represent South Africa (SA) on the global stage. 

“My dad used to play chess in primary school and taught me the basics. Within a year my dad could not beat me,” Shreeya told Daily Maverick. 

The parents Sebastian and Sash Mahadeo could not be prouder of their 15-year-old, an only child. In 2025 alone, her growth in the sport has shone through. Shreeya has reached extraordinary milestones – earning the Woman Regional Master title in June, before being crowned Junior Female Player of the Year at the inaugural KwaZulu-Natal Chess Awards in August. 

Novice to master

Now the grade 10 Durban Girls’ College pupil’s sights are set on flying the South African flag at the Commonwealth Chess Championship in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The tournament takes place from 8-17 November.

“Shreeya always had a curiosity and affinity for puzzles, art and problem solving. She started playing chess competitively at the age of seven and is one of the best players currently in her age group in KZN and South Africa,” said the Mahadeo patriarch.

“We’ve had the privilege of watching her grow from a seven-year-old ballerina picking up a chess pawn for the first time, to becoming a Chess SA Woman Regional Master and one of KZN’s top female players in her age group,” he added.

“Shreeya puts in a huge amount of time training and practicing. Weekends are set aside for tournaments. She has a vision and goal of representing SA at major international events such as the World Chess Olympiad.

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“Chess is Shreeya’s passion, but it isn’t her master. She views her life like a chessboard, where balance is the ultimate strategy. It’s her secret weapon: the ability to step away from the board and just be a 15-year-old. To embrace every school event, family moment, and opportunity for fun. 

“As parents, we always remind her, a champion needs both a sharp mind and a rich, happy childhood to fuel that mental resilience. We’re committed to ensuring she gets to enjoy every opportunity the world presents.”

Science and maths whizz

Off the chessboard, Shreeya excels in school academics and enjoys reading, sketching, painting and drawing. Her favourite subjects are Computer Science, Physical Science and Maths. She also makes time to exercise, play with her pet golden retriever Ziggy, watch anime series and test her reflexes on her favourite PlayStation game – Genshin Impact.

Shreeya’s parents describe her journey in chess as a family effort: “Being her parent means being her biggest supporter, her chauffeur to countless weekend tournaments, and her sounding board after both triumphs and tough losses.” 

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Beyond the trophies, they say Shreeya’s story is about “dedication, grit, resilience and compassion” – especially in how she uses her talent to raise awareness for causes like Parkinson’s South Africa or inspiring young female chess players locally.

Shreeya also excels at Smart Mental Arithmetic, a Japanese mental maths technique she has studied since 2019. Over the years, she has stacked up a number of victories in this discipline. It includes being crowned Champion of Champions at the KZN Regional Championships in 2019, 2021 and 2024. She even claimed silver at the international Championships in 2020.

Funding constraints

Despite Shreeya’s dedication to chess, it’s not easy representing SA on the global stage. Funding for South African sports is scarce, but it is even more sparse when the sport does not fall into the category of rugby, cricket and soccer. 

This means the onus is on her parents to provide the financial resources when Shreeya qualifies for international tournaments. Chess South Africa, the governing body of the sport in the country, simply does not possess sufficient resources to aid its members. 

Earlier this year, Shreeya qualified for both the World Cadet & Youth Rapid and Blitz Championship in Greece, and the African Schools Individual Chess Championships in Kenya. She couldn’t attend because of funding constraints.

“Representing South Africa internationally means a great deal to me, my family, school, and community, and as a young female chess player. For me, it means standing on the world stage and saying that South African chess players – especially young women – are a force to be reckoned with,” Shreeya said.

Next month’s Commonwealth Chess Championship presents the chess starlet with an opportunity to showcase her skills on the global stage, as well as gaining invaluable international tournament experience. DM

To donate towards Shreeya Mahadeo’s trip to Malaysia for the Commonwealth Chess Championship, visit her BackaBuddy page.