A New Chapter of Inclusiveness through Ashadeep’s Unique Chess Tournament
A special chess tournament between visually impaired and sighted players was jointly organised by Ashadeep Apang Mahila Bal Vikas Sanstha, the Nagpur Chess Association, and the Freemasons on 28 February 2026 at the auditorium of Vidarbha Samshodhan Mandal. Held for the third consecutive year, the tournament conveyed a unique message of social inclusiveness. In the inaugural session, Dr. Jyoti Shiwalkar, on behalf of Ashadeep, introduced the organisation and stated that the objective behind organising this competition is to enhance confidence and sportsmanship among the visually impaired. Photos: Tejinder Singh Rawal
An Initiative of Ashadeep
The tournament was conducted among five teams of five players each, comprising a total of 25 visually impaired and 25 sighted players, along with a few additional paired participants. At the prize distribution ceremony, the results were as follows:
Visually Impaired – First: Tijan Gawar Group
Visually Impaired – Second: Manavatkar Group
Sighted – First: Sadanand Mahajan Group
Sighted – Second: Dilip Chepte Group
Check out the work done by Ashadeep Foundation: Here
Additionally, the Best Sighted Players on all five boards were from the Mahajan Group, while among the visually impaired, four were from the Tijan Gawar Group and one from the Manavatkar Group. In the individual awards category, Simran Giradkar (the youngest visually impaired female player) and Shivam Thakur (a child visually impaired player) secured top honours.
The Chief Guest of the Valedictory Function was CA Dr Tejinder Singh Rawal. Dr. Tejinder Singh Rawal, while addressing the gathering, congratulated the winners and appreciated all the participants for their determination and sporting spirit. He observed that chess is not merely a game but a powerful exercise of the mind that teaches patience, strategic thinking, discipline, and foresight. In today’s fast-changing world, he said, such qualities are extremely valuable for individuals and for society as a whole.
Referring to the inspiring participation of visually impaired players, he remarked that true vision lies not in the eyes but in the strength of the mind and the courage of the spirit. He praised the organisers for creating an inclusive platform where sighted and visually impaired players could compete together, sending a strong message of equality, dignity, and social harmony. He encouraged young people to take up chess as a means of sharpening their intellect and building character.
The Chief Guest of the inaugural session, Mr. Sadanand Hajare, explained the importance of chess and remarked that senior citizens, too, should take up the game. At the valedictory function, the Special Guest, Mr. Sujit Shinde, a visually impaired Education Officer in the Government of Maharashtra, delivered an inspiring speech and proved through his own example that if one dreams big, no physical limitation can stand in the way of success.
Dr. Pratima Shastri, President of the organisation, provided information about the social support extended to the visually impaired through the “Saathi Haath Badhana” initiative. Reviewing the tournament, she stated that the competition has been receiving an overwhelming response and that this year, sighted and visually impaired players aged between 12 and 80 years participated.
In his presidential address, Mr Lalasaheb Patil congratulated the players and appreciated the efforts of Ashadeep’s Executive Committee members. Office bearers of the Nagpur Chess Association, Mr Soman and his colleagues, efficiently managed the tournament.
The one-day chess tournament was sponsored by Lodge Independence No. 392, Lodge Vidarbha No. 470, Lodge Vivekananda No. 367, and Lodge of Promac Masons No. 473.
The programme was compered by Dr. Jyoti Shiwalkar, while the guests were introduced by Mrs Chhaya Tare and Mrs Geeta Tare. The vote of thanks in both sessions was delivered by Ms. Aparna Kulkarni.
A Huge Thanks to Dr Tejinder Singh Rawal for sharing this information and photos with us
Dr Tejinder Singh Rawal
M.Com, MA( Economics), MA(Public Administration), MA(Urdu), MA(Hindi), MA (English), MA(Philosophy), MA (History), DELE Diploma de español, Diploma in Persian Language, LLB, FCA, DISA, CISA, CISM, PhD
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