There is no higher calling than living a life rooted in empathy and a commitment to serving humanity. And true impact is made possible by a constant effort to uplift lives, especially those of individuals facing disabilities and challenges even in the mundane, everyday aspects of life.

The Clarke School for the Deaf in Mylapore is living this ideal.

Founded in 1970 by P. Leelavathy and S.K. Nagarajan, the school has spent the last 55 years not only serving individuals with hearing impairment and other disabilities, but also empowering them to lead fulfilling and successful lives.

The school recently celebrated Dr. Nagarajan’s 97th birth anniversary with a special workshop on “Adapted Sports for Persons with Disabilities”, emphasising the role of sports in promoting wellness and employability.

The event also marked the launch of the Clarke Chess Academy, led by FIDE-rated chess champion N. Swaminathan and Deaflympics Tennis Gold Medalist Prithvi Sekhar.

Honorary secretary N. Srikanth spoke about carrying the legacy forward, “My parents founded this school with the mission of providing education to children with special needs. Their vision was to ensure these children receive the same opportunities as their able-bodied peers. What began as a school for the deaf has now grown to include children with various disabilities.”

“To pay a meaningful tribute to my father on his birth anniversary, we decided to focus on sports. Sports promote both physical wellness and career opportunities. Our goal is to highlight this to our children. Two of our own are shining examples: Swaminathan, a FIDE-rated chess player with hearing impairment, is also an HR Manager at Coal India; and Prithvi Sekhar, a tennis gold medallist in the Deaflympics.”

The Chess Academy will function on the school premises. “Chess, being a mind game, enhances cognitive abilities and concentration. Chennai has become the chess capital of India, home to a world champion, and we want our children to benefit from this momentum,” says Srikanth.

The motto of the centre is ‘Training for All Children.” “We welcome children with all types of disabilities. We invite anyone interested to come to our school and train under qualified coaches. This is our mission—to provide equal opportunity, wellness, and success through education and sports,” said Srikanth.

The Clarke Chess Academy will initially conduct evening classes at Clarke School with plans to expand into a full-fledged training centre. For details, call 9150334888.