Chess opens up new world for her

VELLORE: Kalaiselvi (15), a Class X student of the IELC Residential School for Deaf and Dumb in Ambur, has won the national deaf chess championship this year, held in Assam last week. The championship was organised by the Blind Sports Promotion Society, New Delhi. Kalaiselvi, the eldest daughter of a stone-crushing worker in Krishnagiri, has been studying in the school right from LKG as a hosteler. Her younger brother Sakthivel and sister Deviyani, both deaf and dumb, are studying in the same school. One more younger brother and sister, who are normal, had discontinued their studies and are the only earning members, supporting the drunkard father and the sick mother.Kalaiselvi evinced interest in chess recently, deviating from the outdoor games she fancied, recalls the hostel warden Karunya Rathnakumar, who had escorted the girl to Assam. “I used to see her learning the game from her friends, but she outsmarted them in a short time,” she added.Kalaiselvi took part in the state-level deaf chess tournament in Hosur in October last and won the second place. She was later nominated to represent the State in the national event.Through the ‘sign language’, she expressed that she was attracted to dancing and drawing, but chess opened up a new world for her. The victory has also injected confidence in her, as she wants to participate in the forthcoming World Championship.