Hridayeshwar_Singh_Bhati
Hridayeshwar Singh Bhati
Indian student (2002–2021)
Hridayeshwar Singh Bhati (3 September 2002 – 15 June 2021) was an Indian student who invented a six-player variant of chess at the age of 9 with assistance from his father.[1][3] He earned a patent for his invention in 2012, making him the youngest patent-holder in India at that time.[1][4][5][6] For his invention Bhati received the CavinKare Ability Special Recognition Award[7] and the Sri Balaji Society's Child Innovator Award.[8][9] He since designed and received patents for twelve- and sixty-player versions of his game, with his boards capable of 100 distinct variations altogether.[10]
Besides circular chess, Bhati developed a ramp system enabling easy access to vehicles for disabled people.[11] In 2014 he was presented a Dr. Batra's Positive Health Award by Mahendra Singh Dhoni.[12]
Bhati had Duchenne muscular dystrophy and used a wheelchair. He credited his passion for invention to his admiration of British physicist Stephen Hawking: "I want to be like Hawking who became a famous scientist despite suffering from motor neuron disease."[1] Bhati died of cardiac arrest on 15 June 2021.[13]