Chess is light at the end of the tunnel for this visually impaired duo

NT Bengaluru: A life with a single mother, and another life where Retinoblastoma impairs vision. It presents a picture of difficulty and persistence. However, for women like Megha Chakraborty and Karnataka’s Vruthi Jain, chess has proved to be the light at the end of the dark tunnel. Speaking to News Trail at the recently concluded IBCA World Junior and Women Chess Championship here in the city, both Chakraborty and Jain explained their trysts with chess. “During my schooling days, I was active in non-curriculars.

A teacher of mine put me to chess, persuading that Chess is a game for all and does not consider who’s visually impaired or who’s not,” she said. Teachers and physical educators have had an immense impact on the duo's love for chess. For Jain, it was her Physical education teacher at school who made her sit in front of the board. “I was able to feel the numbers and gratings on the board, and my mind lit up,” she recalled. They also explained the difficulties that inspired them to what they are today and what they aspire to be: World Champions. For Chakraborty, it was her single mother who had taken her on repeated trips to the doctor, after finding out that she was blind from birth. For Vruthi, currently 18 however, an unfortunate diagnosis of Retinoblastoma aged five meant she lost her vision. “In a time where Academics was important in our village in Shivamogga, I used Chess to prove my self worth,” she added.

Although life has given them enough to learn about, it is chess where Jain feels she has learnt much more from Chess. “It has helped in making the right move or knowing when I feel trapped,” she added. For 20 - year old Megha, it's “overwhelming” happiness. “Everybody recognises me as ‘that’ chess player. It gives me satisfaction and a very good feeling,” Their stories provide a source of inspiration, and for the game of chess, particularly in India which has brilliant minds like R Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh D, blind chess playrs also deserve their flowers.