The boys who checkmated blindness

By Paritosh Pramanik

IT IS said tragedy strikes only once devastating the surroundings. But, when the catastrophe pounds twice, it’s destiny’s 
call. Being at the receiving end 
of a tragedy twice, the Pradhans were shattered. But they never lost hope that their day would come and the worries would be wiped out.
Rabi Ranjan Pradhan and his wife Jayanti were over the moon when they were blessed with a baby boy at the end of the 20th century. But their joy was short-lived when they came to know the that their son, Prachuriya, was blind by birth. Heavens fell on the joint family of five brothers and a sister of Boden village in 
Naupada district of Odisha. Somehow, they gathered 
courage and picked themselves 
to lead a normal life taking care 
of their son. Two years later, the new millennium doubled their agony. Their second son Soundarya, too, was born with visual disorder. The Pradhans were gutted.
Both of their kids could not see the colourful world. It was a torrid time which they ventured for several years, unable to show their kids the life in red, purple, blue, green and other colours. The brothers only know and could feel only one colour — Black, dark black.
The kids — Prachuriya, now 21 and Soundarya, 19, — have never seen the face of their parents. But Pradhans did not lost hope. Rabi Ranjan and Jayanti decided 
to bring up their kids like 
other children.
Today, after more than 20 years, Prachuriya and Soundarya are winning accolades in chess and in academics too, topping their exams year after year. The belief of Pradhans in the Almighty is paying off.
The brothers are winning battles and awards on the 64 squares, making their family proud.
In Nagpur to participate in the Aamdar Chashak FIDE Rating Chess Tournament at Dr Hedgewar Smarak Samiti, Reshimbag, Soundarya, a 100 per cent visually impaired, was going strong and was joint leader with four points on Thursday morning.
His father, as always, was providing him support, passing him water bottle, taking him to the washroom during his fifth round match against top seed VAV Rajesh on the top board when, Rabi Ranjan went 20 years down memory lane to share with ‘The Hitavada’ the ordeal and the difficulties they faced while bringing up their ‘special’ kids.
“Earlier, it was very difficult. Our kids were born with Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) disorder. It is 1 in 1000 disorders,” said Rabi Ranjan, watching his younger son compete in the fifth round match.
“Our life turned upside down within four years. I was Principal of Biju Patnaik College in Boden in Odisha. But I had to vacate the post to take care of my kids. I decided to step down as principal and took a language professors’ job,” Pradhan said.
He even detached himself from the world. “I was Lingual Theatre Director when I used to direct plays. I gave up that too. I detached myself from society. But then I thought where will it take me and my family. I started grooming my kids like normal ones,” narrated Pradhan.
Both Prachuriya and Soundarya, despite being 100 per cent blind, have best of the brains. Pradhan decided to put them along with regular students when Prachuriya was in 10th standard. But a government school in Boden refused to admit them.
“I wanted them to be like any other kid. From a school for blind I tried the admit them to a regular school but they refused. Then I took them to a farther school, which was around 3-4 kms away from our home. Prachuriya got admission and secured above 90 per cent in his board exams.
“The previous school management, who earlier had refused us, came to my home and admitted their mistake and requested to send Soundarya to their school,” said Pradhan.
Chess was in Pradhans’ blood with Rabi Ranjan’s elder Keshranjan Pradhan being a national-level player.
The two kids learned the basics from their uncle Keshranjan and then from Durgaprasad Mahapatra. After that it became more difficult to give the two proper coaching in Boden.
“Later, they got coaching from IMs Shekhar Sahu, Sagar Saha and Satyapragmya. After that they started taking help of computers and took coaching by playing on it. It was because of softwares—JAWS and NVDA— they started learning chess at higher level. The software converts text into speech which both my kids learned,” mentioned Pradhan. Both Prachuriya and Soundarya are very fast learners and can remembers things quickly.
“If God has taken their sight, He gave them the sharpest of brains,” Pradhan proudly said.
“Soundarya has cleared JEE (Mains) and is studying in National Institute of Technology (NIT), Jamshedpur Second Year. It is one of the top Institutes in the country and getting admission itself is a Herculean task. But as I said, Soundarya is very bright in academics too, he cleared the JEE which fetched him this seat,” Pradhan said.
Pradhan who will be retiring from his job in 4-5 years, said it is very difficult to make the ends meet for their travels during the tournaments.
“The main thing is lack of sponsorship. Soundarya has represented India in several international tournaments. He has visited eight European countries and made the country proud by winning medals. He won World Junior Silver Medal at Poland last year and fetched silver at Asian Para Games in Indonesia. But still, no corporate house came forward to sponsor his tours,” Pradhan lamented.
“After Indonesia win, Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitated Soundarya in New Delhi. After that there were a few felicitation functions in Odisha but there was hardly any concrete decision on sponsoring him. Being the single earner of the family I am finding it difficult to foot bills of Soundarya’s tournament travels,” said Pradhan.
Now that Soundarya is playing in the open category, he will have to participate in as many tournaments as he can which will help him in getting IM, GM norms. “And for that we need sponsorships. Hope some hands come forward in Soundarya’s support,” concluded Pradhan.


Synthetic track top priority for Dr Suryawanshi


RTMNU’s new Physical Education Department Director chalks out future plans

n By Paritosh Pramanik

HE MIGHT be having ‘n’ number of priorities at his disposal but newly-appointed Director of Physical Education Department and Sports of Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Dr Sharad Suryawanshi has marked one at the top of his agenda — laying of Synthetic Track.
On first day after taking charge of the department, Dr Suryawanshi short-listed ‘first-things-first’ which included completion of synthetic track and indoor hall at RTMNU’s ground, off Ravi Nagar.
Talking with ‘The Hitavada’ at his office, Dr Suryawanshi spelt out his initial plans: how to improve performance of teams at all India level, forcing responsibilities on selectors, how to reduce walkovers, introducing zone-wise inter-collegiate events, coaching camps, ‘prime time slots’ for national, international level university badminton players etc.
Dr Suryawanshi, who is also secretary of Nagpur District Athletics Association, wanted that work of synthetic track begins at the earliest. “It’s been too long. We want synthetic track at the earliest. Nagpur University’s long distance runners are making their presence felt in all India inter-university meets. A synthetic track will definitely help the university produce more medal winners,” said Dr Suryawanshi, who is also a member of synthetic track technical committee.
“Almost all paper work is complete. I will take the matter with higher authorities. The blue print is ready but due to model code of conduct the process was halted. I will make it sure work starts immediately,” he added.
“Apart from synthetic track, the proposal of indoor stadium is also pending. I will also try to start this work,” said Suryawanshi who represented India at 1987 Poland World Cross Country.
Himself an athlete, Suryawanshi was well aware of the lackadaisical performance of various teams in the West Zone and All India Inter-University meets. He said that he would try to find ways out as to how to improve the performance.
“I will ask all stakeholders for their suggestions on how to improve the performance of teams in all India and West Zone meets. If not all, we can start with a few events where we see the potential. We can hold proper coaching camps and can find out new ways to better the performance,” felt Dr Suryawanshi, a gold medal winner of All India Inter-University Cross Country meet at Chandigarh.
Dr Suryawanshi will also be holding meetings of several sports organisers on how to develop and improve overall performance of players and teams. On Monday, he met officials from athletics, kho-kho and softball.
“We need to meet concerned persons to get their views so that we solve their problems. This might also help in our overall performance,” added Dr Suryawanshi.
The director also wanted to put more responsibilities on selectors of various games who pick teams without watching players during the trials. “I think selectors should watch inter-college meets. If not all, the semi-finals and finals. From there they could get some good players for the trials. There should be more responsibilities on selectors too,” Dr Suryawanshi pointed out.
To develop sports culture, Dr Suryawanshi has decided to organise at least one All India meet.
“We hardly conduct All India Inter-University meets. I would try to get at least one competition every year. That would help us in developing sports culture,” opined Dr Suryawanshi.
“This year we have sent letters to AIU for conducting handball, football, badminton and volleyball all India meets. The schedule is yet to be declared. We may get some of the events,” hoped Dr Suryawanshi.
Dr Suryawanshi was well aware of the walkovers which colleges/teams concede during the inter-college meets. He said he would try to change the pattern of the events so that maximum teams participates.
“Some colleges did not send their teams due to distance of the venue of the competition. We would try to introduce zonal system where teams would get their matches closer to their colleges. But these are only my personal views. We will have to sit with all stakeholders and chalk out a proper, favourable schedule,” said Dr Suryawanshi, who is also Principal of Sharirik Shikshan Mahavidyalaya, Koradi.
With Nagpur shuttlers excelling all over the country and internationally, Dr Suryawanshi said he would make it sure that university players get best slot at Subhedar Hall for practice.
“As the badminton hall is open to all, our players get less priority. We will try to give them the best ‘prime-time slot’ so that can train well and win more medals for the university,” Dr Suryawanshi concluded.