The philosophy that has driven Darpan Inani’s life is simple. “Chess and life are about vision, not visibility,” says the 30-year-old, who won two gold medals — individual and team — at the Para Asian Games in China in October 2023.

Darpan had defeated sighted players at the Creon Open International Chess Tournament in France in 2018. This made him the only, and first-ever, visually impaired chess player from India to secure the top position in a sighted tournament at the international level! In fact, he says, 80 to 90% of his chess career has involved playing against sighted opponents.

An only child, Darpan was born in Udaipur, Rajasthan. When he was six months old, his family moved to Gujarat, where his father wanted to set up his own business, and he has been based in Vadodara ever since. When he was just three years old, tragedy struck. He was afflicted with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, a rare, life-threatening condition, and lost his eyesight completely.

By the time he was eight, he had undergone 50 surgeries.

Never used Braille, thanks to technology

When doctors gave up hope, Darpan’s parents decided to focus on his education. His father, who runs a jewellery business, and his mother, a homemaker, wanted him to study in a mainstream school. Many schools refused admission, but his father kept trying.

Finally, Darpan was admitted to Baroda High School in Class 3. Until then, he had been homeschooled. “It was a life-changing experience to study in a mainstream school. I was the only blind student in the school. The teachers were incredibly supportive, and my friends helped me get around. During recess, my best friends would stay with me while the other children went down to the playground,” Darpan tells The Better India.

An exceptionally bright student, he never needed tuition classes. He would either top his class or secure second rank.

But what truly distinguished Darpan was his inspiring learning method. He never

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