The event was inaugurated at the hands of chief guest CA Sadanand Hajare. Amlesh Purohit from Freemasons Loldge, president of Ashadeep Sanstha Dr. Pratima Shastri, CAN working president SS Soman and others were present.
Dr. Pratima Shastri, President of the organisation, provided information about the social support extended to the visually impaired through the “Saathi Haath Badhana” initiative. 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.
The tournament was conducted among five teams of five players each, comprising a total of 25 visually impaired and 25 sighted players which was conceptualised by Ashadeep Apang Mahila Bal Vikas Sanshtha and Chess Association Nagpur.
Kamlesh Manwatkar, Tijan Gawar, Sunil Dubey, Gyaniram Gokhale were the prominent Visually Challenged players while sighted players included Nagpur’s inconic Chess personality 79 year old International Arbiter Shri T.N. Bahadure, Veteran Players Sadanand Mahajan, Umesh Gajbhiye, Pramod Ramteke, Prabhakar Patil, Sanjay Bhange, Dilip Chepte and others who contributed to the social cause with their presence encouraging the visually impaired participants.
In the visually impaired section, Tijan Gawar emerged winner whereas Kamlesh Manavatkar secured second place. In the sighted category Sadanand Mahajan group and Dilip Chepte group achieved first and second place respectivley.
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 Kamlesh Manavatkar Group.
In the individual awards category, Simran Giradkar (youngest visually impaired female player) and Shivam Thakur (child visually impaired player) secured top honours. Consolation prizes were given to Raj Kargole and Mahananda Talvekar among the players outside the teams.
Eminent Chartered Account of city Dr. Tejinder Singh Rawal of Mesonic Lodge was the chief guest at the prize distribution function. Sujit Shinde, a visually impaired Education Officer, Government of Maharashtra who delivered an inspiring speech to the Blind Students sharing his own experiences. Dr. Pratima Shastri, President of Ashadeep Sanstha,Amlesh Purohit of Freemasons Lodge and Shri Lalasaheb Patil, Mentor of Ashadeep Sanstha graced the occasion.