Specially-abled Mallika wins silver in chess meet

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 23

Mallika Handa, a speech and hearing-impaired chess player hailing from the city, has won a silver medal in the 24th National Chess Championship for the Deaf held in Patna from March 18 to 22.

Adding to her accolades, Mallika also clinched the top position in the India Blitz Chess Championship 2024 for the deaf, which was held concurrently in Bihar. Prior to her triumph in these championships, she represented India in the Winter Deaf Olympics held in Turkey from March 1 to 13, where she secured the sixth position.

Expressing her pride, Renu Handa, Mallika’s mother, highlighted her daughter’s preparation spanning over the past few months, including participation in trials and tournaments both nationally and internationally.

“Despite Mallika’s consistent success in various chess championships, including being the first Indian girl to clinch gold in the International Deaf and Dumb Chess Championship and being eight-time gold medalist in the National Chess Championship for the Deaf, her talent remains unrecognised by the state government,” her mother said.

Renu Handa emphasised that Mallika’s achievements have been solely through her determination and skill, with no support from the state government in the form of scholarships or financial aid.

She said despite facing a 90 per cent hearing disability, her daughter had won many national and international championships in chess. “But the neglect from the state government towards Mallika’s accomplishments has left all of us disappointed,” she added, further highlighting the need for recognition and support for differently abled athletes like Mallika who bring honour to Punjab on the international stage.

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