Nagpur's 11-year-old Ved Four wins bronze at World Junior Chess Championship for the blind
Ved Four, 11, scored 6.5 points in nine rounds to finish third among 17 players at the 13th IBCA World Junior Chess Championship in Crete, Greece.
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Eleven-year-old Ved Four of Nagpur has brought honour to the country by winning a bronze medal at the 13th IBCA World Junior Chess Championship, held at Hersonissos in Crete, Greece. The championship was for blind and visually impaired players.
Ved represented India on the international stage. Nine rounds were played in the Swiss-format tournament, and Ved scored 6.5 points across them. In a field of 17 competitors he finished third, taking the bronze medal.
The gold medal was won by Michal Rachis of Poland with 7.5 points. William Johansson of Sweden also scored 7.5 points and took silver. Ved's 6.5 points were behind the 7.5 of both players.
Ved's achievement is notable because he entered the event as the 12th seed with a rating of 1,700. His reaching the podium shows his dedication, his fighting spirit and his growing stature in visually impaired chess.
The young player had shown his ability earlier as well. At the Super Heroes Cup held in March, he beat Darshan Kshirsagar in the round of 16. He then put up a stiff fight against Darpan Inani in the quarter-final.
A dedicated team of coaches stands behind Ved's progress. Jitendra Thakre guides him at Chanakya Chess Academy. He also trains with Grandmaster Swapnil Dhopade at Chess Pathshala Academy. Shubham Lakudkar is his full-time trainer.
The HelpChess Foundation has also supported Ved on his chess journey, helping to nurture his talent and his drive to move ahead in competition.
Ved's international medal is a moment of pride for Nagpur and a major milestone for the young chess player. His performance has shown that age and visual impairment are no barrier to success at the highest level.
