Jalandhar’s ‘silent’ girl gives city reason to cheers

Rachna Khaira

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 18

She may not have heard the deafening cheers of the spectators witnessing her entry to the history books, she saw the immense pride they felt while she became the first Indian girl to win a gold medal in the International Deaf and Dumb Chess Championship held from August 8 to 14 at Mongolia.

Mallika Handa, a resident of Green Avenue in Basti Sheikh, was amongst the chosen three from India, including one each from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. After winning the national championship held at Madhya Pradesh in 2013, she was to go to Germany the same year but the Sports Authority of India did not send her due to some dispute with the international body. Mallika underwent trails at Indore. She won the first place and an entry to the international tournament.

According to her mother Renu Handa, Mallika was not dumb by birth but had the problem when she was just a year old. “Some medicines reacted upon her and she lost her speaking and hearing senses. However she is a very strong girl and occasionally tells us that one day we along with the entire nation would be proud of her. She proved that today,” said the emotion mother.

Though Mallika is facing 90 per cent hearing disability, she was given a seat in the regular college due to her expertise in the chess. “Though she is struggling hard and had to drop a year, she does not consider herself less than an ordinary child and wants to complete her education due to the regular stream only,” said the proud mother.

She also urged the state government to honour Mallika for her recently earned laurel.