India
oi-Deepika S
New Delhi, Jun 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the historic torch relay for the 44th Chess Olympiad on Sunday at Indira Gandhi Stadium, New Delhi.
Addressing the gathering, PM Modi said “New India’s youth is excelling in every sport. They’re making records. Now we’re working keeping 2024 Paris Olympics and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in mind and for that sportspersons are being supported through TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme) as well.”
“Our ancestors invented the games like Chaturanga & Chess for the analytical development of the brain. Children who play Chess are becoming good problem-solvers. In the last 8 years, India has improved its performance in Chess,” he added.
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 is 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.
This torch will then 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.
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.
Story first published: Sunday, June 19, 2022, 18:17 [IST]
