At the launch of the historic torch relay for the 44th Chess Olympiad on Sunday at Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich thanked the Government of India for taking the initiative to start the new tradition of torch relay which will popularise and galvanise the game all over the world.
During the launch, FIDE President handed over the torch to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who in turn handed it over to Grandmaster Vishwanathan Anand.
This torch will be taken to 75 cities in a span of 40 days before the final culmination at Mahabalipuram near Chennai. At every location, chess grandmasters of the state will receive the torch.
PM Modi also made the Khelo Chess Ceremonial move followed by Koneru Humpy making a move. Union Ministers Anurag Thakur and Nisith Pramanik, Chess players and enthusiasts, Ambassadors, and Chess Officials were among those present on the occasion.
"FIDE is grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his presence and honouring us" he said and recalled the Prime Minister's speech on the occasion of most players playing chess in one place in 2010 on the significance of the game of Chess in building new capabilities and role of combination of education and sports in leading to success.
The FIDE President hoped that Chess would become part of all schools across India and all over the world. He said "India today is the fastest-growing Chess country today and you have all grounds to be proud of that. We are grateful for your leadership for all the fantastic work that you are doing in the interest of Chess."
This year, for the very first time, the International Chess Body, FIDE, has instituted the Chess Olympiad Torch that is part of Olympic tradition, but was never done in the Chess Olympiad. India will be the first-ever country to have the Chess Olympiad Torch Relay. Notably, taking the Indian roots of Chess to a greater height, this tradition of Torch Relay for the Chess Olympiad will henceforth always begin in India and travel across all continents before reaching the host country.
The 44th Chess Olympiad will be held in Chennai from July 28 to August 10, 2022. The prestigious competition, which has been organised since 1927, is being hosted in India for the first time and in Asia after 30 years. With 189 countries participating, this will be the largest participation in any Chess Olympiad.
( With inputs from ANI )
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