Darpan Inani from Gujarat emerged as the champion at the 18th AICFB National Chess Championship for the Blind, which concluded at the SAI International Residential School in Cuttack. Inani claimed the prestigious title with an impressive score of 7.5/9, securing a crucial victory over Subhendu Patra of Odisha in the final round. His stellar performance earned him a cash prize of Rs. 75,000 and the coveted winner’s trophy.
Top seed Kishan Gangolli, who also finished with 7.5 points after a decisive win against Somender of Delhi, was placed second due to tie-breaker rules. Gangolli received a cash prize of Rs. 50,000 and a trophy for his efforts.
Aryan Joshi, the overnight leader from Maharashtra, faced a surprising defeat at the hands of Soundarya Kumar Pradhan from Odisha in a thrilling encounter. As a result, Joshi finished in third place, while Pradhan claimed fourth.
In a standout achievement, 10th seed Samant Milind from Maharashtra triumphed over Marimuthu of Tamil Nadu to secure fifth place. Milind’s exceptional performance earned him a spot in the national squad for upcoming international tournaments.
The championship saw dramatic shifts in the lead, with the top four positions ultimately being held by the highest-seeded players. The final standings were as follows:

Final Standings Rank	Name	State	Points	Cash Prizes
1	Darpan Inani	Gujarat	7.5	Rs. 75,000
2	Kishan Gangolli	Karnataka	7.5	Rs. 50,000
3	Aryan B. Joshi	Maharashtra	7	Rs. 35,000
4	Soundarya Kumar Pradhan	Odisha	7	Rs. 30,000
5	Samant Milind	Maharashtra	6.5	Rs. 20,000
6	Rohit Atmaram Yadav	Maharashtra	6	Rs. 15,000
7	Prachurya Kumar Pradhan	Odisha	6	Rs. 10,000
8	Singh Suryapratap	Madhya Pradesh	6	Rs. 5,000
9	Somender B. L	Delhi	5.5	Rs. 5,000
10	Swapnil Shah	Maharashtra	5.5	Rs. 5,000

A special mention goes to 11-year-old Ved Niraj Phaur (1575 rating), who delivered an outstanding performance to finish 14th with 5.5 points.
The tournament was expertly conducted by Sri M. Manjunath IA, Ms. Pinki Mahapatra FA, and KR Pradhan SNA.
The Valedictory Function, held at the Astarang Auditorium, was graced by Mr. Deepankar Mohapatra, IAS, Director of the Department of Sports and Youth Services, who had the honor of presenting the prizes to the winners. The event was further dignified by the presence of Mr. Amitabh Agnihotri, Associate Director and Headmaster of SIRS, and Mr. Swapnil Shah, Treasurer of AICFB.
The welcome address was delivered by Mr. Soundarya Kumar Pradhan, Secretary of the Odisha Chess Association for Visually Challenged. The players expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the flawless organization and smooth execution of the tournament, commending the efforts of all involved.
Mr. Prachurya Kumar Pradhan extended his thanks to AICFB, the Government of Odisha, PROCHESSTA, and SAI International Residential School, as well as to all the players, for contributing to the grand success of the event.