Kolkata: When it comes to Kolkata’s Behala or surname Ganguly, tell us who you remember when you hear it first as someone from Bengal. And it is of course, the Prince of Calcutta, Sourav Ganguly. But let us tell you the story of another boy who is also Ganguly, and 11-year-old. Ankit Ganguly is a resident of Behala and plays chess.

And this boy from Bengal has qualified for the Deaflympics. Yes, it is surprising to hear that Ankit’s fight is with himself. He can’t hear and can barely speak, but there is stubbornness in the mind. He wants to win medals for the country and has already entered into that process. Ankit, who idolises Magnus Carlsen and R. Praggnanandhaa, will now represent the country in the Deaflympics.

Can barely speak with his mouth with 95 percent hearing loss, Ankit does several things with the help of his mother. At the same time, his coach MK Chandrasekhar has helped him. Although he is specially abled, his coach made him a chess player. Not only that, everyone, including his mother, father, grandfather, and grandmother have backed Ankit. They hope that Ankit will make them more proud in the next few days.

Ankit has learned a lot from his idols, Carlsen and Praggnanandhaa, and wishes to become a Grandmaster in the coming days. Unable to speak, he explained to India Today – Aaj Tak, “I love playing chess. I want to be a GM (Grand Master) and IM (International Master). I love the game of R. Praggnanandhaa and Carlsen.”

His mother Chandni Ganguly said, “We didn’t understand that he couldn’t hear and speak when he was young. We wanted him to play some sports. We were worried when we learned he couldn’t hear and talk. But we finally decided to make him a chess player because the mouth and ears do not have much work in this game. But the cost is reasonable, and I want someone to sponsor him. I think he will do better in the future.”

Ankit’s grandfather Ambar Ganguly said, “We are proud of him. I don’t know why God made him like this. But still, we are proud of what he is doing. I want him to win a medal in the Deaflympics for the country.”

At the same time, his coach MK Chandrasekhar gave special training. His coach has also started dreaming about the student. He said, “I am very happy to play in such a big tournament. I was confident about him from the beginning. He has been given special training with love. I hope he will do well.”

Ankit Ganguly, who is only 11 years old, is currently a student at Barisha High School. Dreaming of making a name in chess, Ankit spends four to five hours a day just in front of the chessboard. However, he does not like to study much. The boy from Behala is fighting to become a grandmaster in the future, keeping in mind that it would be tough for him to pursue any other sports as a profession.