Against all odds, we can bounce back, says visually impaired chess player

Our Sports Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 15

Having lost his eyesight at the age of three, Darpan Inani has overcome hurdles to be a role model for others. He has won many chess tournaments, including an international prize money competition in France.

Darpan Inani, a visually impaired chess player, was the speaker at an event organised here today by the FICCI-FLO at Shri Ram Universal School, Sarabha Nagar. He spoke on the topic ‘Against All Odds, We Can Bounce Back’.

Darpan shared his journey of becoming India’s strongest blind chess player. He said 64 squares helped him discover himself at the age of 13.

“Don’t be a product of your circumstances. Instead, be a product of your decisions. Having lost my sight early due to Stevens Johnson Syndrome, I started playing the game of chess regularly,” he said.

Darpan is the only India visually impaired chess player to have won a prize money international tournament —Creon Open Chess Tournament in his rating category in France, last year.

His high point in life was when he got the final acceptance letter from IIM, Lucknow, after he cleared his CAT entrance. Currently, he is pursuing CA and will leave for Europe on July 25 to participate in the next international tournament.

He said chess was the only game that allowed a blind person to compete with a sighted person on an equal footing and encouraged the special player.

The event was attended by FLO Ludhiana veterans, former chairpersons, executive team of FLO and members of the host school.

A chess tournament was also conducted for participants between 6 and 15 years. Darpan gave away prizes to the winners.

Nandita Bhaskar, chairperson of the event organisers, thanked Darpan for the highly empowering and encouraging session and sharing his experience in the face of adversities. Mannat Kothari, senior vice-chairperson, also expressed gratitude towards the guest for his words of motivation. It was not about sight, but it was all about the vision.

Nidhika Dhanoa, Monika Arya and Manu Jindal commented that his vision, dedication and exemplary hard work was commendable.