Vadodara: A burglary at the home of visually impaired chess player Aniket Patni has left him without the laptop and smartphone he relied on for training ahead of the National Blind Chess Championship on Nov 23, disrupting preparations for one of the biggest tournaments of his career.Aniket Patni, 24, had been preparing for the National Blind Chess Championship in Ahmedabad with hopes of winning another gold medal. Those plans suffered a setback after burglars broke into his Baranpura home and stole his laptop, smartphone and some cash in the early hours of Thursday.“I don’t know what to do and how to practice for the tournament. I was dreaming of winning gold,” a teary Patni told TOI.The stolen devices contained specialised software and applications that helped him study games, analyse positions and train for competitions.“The laptop was loaded with special software for practicing chess, studying and analysing games apart from training for certain moves. Even my smartphone had similar apps that I use to improve my game. With both gone, I am in the lurch as my preparations have suffered a setback,” Patni said.Patni’s father drives a rickshaw while his mother works in households.“We can’t afford a new laptop or phone immediately. Even the laptop that got stolen was donated by an NGO,” he said.Wadi police have registered a burglary case and launched an investigation.“The cops who came home said that even if my laptop is recovered, I would have to prove my ownership by producing a proper bill. How will I produce the bill for the laptop that was donated to me?” Patni questioned.Patni’s association with chess began nearly a decade ago while he was studying at Samaj Suraksha Sankul Resource Centre in Nizampura.“A decade ago, I used to be restless in class while studying at Samaj Suraksha Sankul Resource Centre in Nizampura. In 2017, a teacher suggested I play chess to improve my concentration and bring some calm to my behaviour. I took to chess and never looked back,” recalled Patni, a graduate in history.His progress in the sport has been steady. He won the state blind chess championship five times between 2022 and 2026. In Oct, he claimed gold at the National Blind Chess Championship organised by the Gujarat Chess Association for Visually Challenged and the All India Chess Federation for the Blind in Palanpur. He also won gold at the Blindfold Chess Tournament held in Ahmedabad in 2024.Wadi police inspector D D Chavda said investigators were working to trace the stolen devices.“Our team is making all efforts to track down the burglars. If someone uses the laptop and connects it to the internet, we will be able to trace the device quickly. Our sympathies are with Patni,” Chavda said.He added that once the laptop is recovered, police will ensure it is returned to Patni without difficulty.Patni lost vision in both eyes through separate accidents during childhood.“At the age of 3, I lost one eye after an iron rod pierced through it in a lane near my home. I was running away from a stray dog that was chasing me and couldn’t see the rod sticking out from a wall. I lost the other eye at the age of eight due to a helicopter shot by a boy in our neighbourhood,” he said.“I was walking by the roadside where some boys were playing cricket. The batsman hit a helicopter shot on demand and the ball hit my functional eye. A nerve got damaged and a blood clot caused blindness in that eye as well,” Patni added.
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