She Lost Her Sight at 17 — 8 Yrs Later, She’s the 1st Indian Woman To Win a Chess Medal at the Asian Para Games

In the tense final minutes of a match, Himanshi Rathi does three simple things. She sips water, eats a piece of chocolate, and stands up to stretch. The rituals steady her breath and help her hold the whole board in her mind. Seven or eight moves can decide everything. She knows how to wait, defend, and choose her moment.

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Himanshi lost her vision completely in Class 12. The future felt uncertain, yet she chose a path that demanded even more focus. At 25, she is the first Indian woman to win a medal in chess at the Asian Para Games, a gold medallist in both BA and MA, and a civil service aspirant. Her life shows how discipline and courage can turn a fragile moment into a lasting win.

Losing sight, finding direction

Himanshi’s story began in Palanpur, Gujarat, where she was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa at the age of three. “It runs in families. My grandmother, aunt and sister also have the condition. We consulted doctors, but they said there is no cure,” she recalls.

Retinitis Pigmentosa is a rare, inherited eye disease that damages the retina and causes progressive vision loss. Symptoms often appear in childhood — first as difficulty seeing at night or in low light, followed by tunnel vision. Over time, the sight narrows until it fades completely.

Until Class 4, Himanshi studied in a regular school, Vidya Mandir, in Palanpur. When her vision began deteriorating, she joined a school for the blind — Andhya Kanya Prakash in Ahmedabad. Her family moved cities to support her education. “I didn’t know Braille or how to handle the loss of vision. The blind school helped me learn mobility and adapt to the new reality. I lost my vision completely in Class 12,” she says.

It was in Class 5, in that new school, that she found chess. “I had to study music at the blind school, but I wasn’t good at it. One of my teachers suggested I take up chess as a hobby. I also took it up to improve concentration. Initially, I found it difficult to visualise the board,” she recalls.

What began as a simple classroom suggestion soon became the defining rhythm of her life.

A new move: The support that changed everything

As Himanshi’s passion for chess grew, she found the right guidance at the Blind People’s Association (BPA) in Ahmedabad — one of India’s largest organisations working in the disability sector. There, she received the structure, coaching, and encouragement that helped her flourish as a player. “BPA handles coaching very well. It supports players from beginning to end," she says.

It was here that she met mentors who would shape her journey — coach Darshan Pandya, who is also visually impaired; Hemal Thanki, who is sighted; and inclusive chess coordinator Paritosh Dave. “This is one game where the sighted and visually impaired play together, and very often, the latter defeat the former,” says Dave. “It gives the visually challenged social acceptance and confidence.”

Through BPA and the Gujarat Chess Association for the Visually Challenged (GCAVC), Himanshi began participating in tournaments, receiving structured coaching and exposure that honed her game.

Before the Asian Para Games, she trained under international player and coach Jalpan Bhatt at BPA. “Himanshi has a very sharp memory. She can remember long variations easily and is a very good defensive player. Before the tournament in China, I coached her intensively for three months. Even during the matches, I studied her opponents’ techniques — she played seven rounds — and we planned strategies accordingly,” Bhatt recalls.

Each move, each conversation, and each sleepless night of practice brought her closer to history.

From Ahmedabad to Hangzhou

By the time she represented India at the 2023 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China, Himanshi had already established herself at the national level — winning the All-India Chess Federation for the Blind National Women’s Championship in 2022, becoming national champion in 2019 and 2020, and finishing 14th at the 2022 Chess Olympiad in France.

In Hangzhou, she competed in the B1 category of Standard Chess for the Visually Impaired — her first major international event — and returned with two bronze medals: one in the individual event and another in the team rapid chess championship.

Her medals made her the first Indian woman ever to win a chess medal at the Asian Para Games. For Himanshi, the victory was more than a title — it was proof that the board she once struggled to imagine in her mind had become her world.

Asked how she handles pressure, Himanshi smiles. “There’s always a mix of excitement and nervousness. The last seven to eight moves are critical. To keep calm, I drink water, eat chocolates, and stretch a little. I’m mostly a defensive player — about 30 percent aggressive. Before a tournament, I practise seven hours a day; otherwise, around three.”

Her discipline paid off not only with medals but also with recognition. Following her success at the Asian Para Games, the Government of Gujarat appointed her as a Taluka Development Officer, Class-2 — a fitting acknowledgement for someone who built her future one move at a time.

Beyond the board: A mind that never stops learning

Even with a full-time government role, Himanshi’s days are packed with purpose. After work, she continues preparing for competitive exams, determined to balance her career and ambitions. “I enjoy reading Gujarati literature, and I’m also learning French. I’m studying law as well. Among my outdoor interests are horse riding and swimming,” she says with a smile.

Her curiosity is boundless. Despite losing her vision, she completed her BA and MA in English Literature from Gujarat University — securing gold medals in both. “I completed my MA in 2024 and began preparing for the GPSC and UPSC exams in 2022. I did not get through my first UPSC attempt, but I plan to try again. I’ve just completed my GPSC mains,” she shares.

Outside academics and chess, her interests add another layer to her vibrant personality. “I learnt horse riding from my mother. She first picked up the skill and then taught me. I practise at my uncle’s farm and other places in Ahmedabad that provide the facilities. As for swimming, I learnt it when I was in Class 5 or 6. I practise with my sister Urvi, who is also blind and has taken up swimming competitively,” says Himanshi.

Family, faith, and the will to keep moving

Her family has been her strongest anchor. Himanshi’s father, Bhavesh Rathi, a businessman, introduced her to chess after buying a special tactile chessboard designed for visually impaired players. “There was the option of taking chess in the blind school. We got the board, and I taught her the basics. Very soon, we appointed a coach,” he recalls.

Her mother, Dipali, has been her constant companion during tournaments. “I accompany her everywhere. When she’s playing, I watch from a distance in case she needs something,” she says.

Later this month, Himanshi will compete again — this time at a national tournament hosted by the Blind People’s Association (BPA), featuring both Indian and international players. For her, each tournament is not just about winning medals but testing how much sharper she has become with every game.

Her eyes, though sightless, are firmly set on the future. “I’m looking forward to the 2028 Asian Para Games in Japan,” she says, her voice calm but certain.

For Himanshi, chess is more than a sport — it’s her language of resilience. “Chess means everything to me. It is a core part of my identity — people recognise me as a chess player. Chess has given me respect. When I play with sighted players, it gives me a feeling of equality and inclusivity. Other than these aspects, I love playing chess — it gives me great joy,” she adds.

Watching Himanshi play makes you realise something simple: you don’t need perfect circumstances to make the right move. You just need the will to keep making one.

All images courtesy Himanshi Rathi