New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modic on Sunday marked the first-ever torch relay for the Chess Olympiad ahead of the 44th edition of the event, to be held in Mahabalipuram from July 28 to August 10.
The international chess organization FIDE has instituted the torch relay for the very first time, part of the Olympic tradition, but never done during the Chess Olympiad.
FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich handed the torch to the Prime Minister who gave it to the legendary Viswanathan Anand.
The torch will be taken to 75 cities over a 40-day period before arriving at Mahabalipuram near Chennai. State chess grandmasters will receive the torch at each location.
Leh, Srinagar, Jaipur, Surat, Mumbai, Bhopal, Patna, Kolkata, Gangtok, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Thrissur, Port Blair and Kanyakumari are among the 75 cities.
In nearly 100 years of Chess Olympiad history, it is India’s first time hosting the prestigious event. With 188 countries registered for the upcoming Olympiad, the country will witness a huge congregation of countries for the first time for a sporting event on Indian soil.
Speaking during the speech, Prime Minister Modi, who made a ceremonial move on the chessboard against the female grandmaster Kneru Humpy, said: “The very first torch relay of the Chess Olympiad starts from India, it is also the first time India has hosted the big event.
“We are proud that the sport has emerged from its birthplace and made its presence felt around the world. We are excited to see Chess return to its hometown and celebrate its success in the form of the Chess Olympiad.
“FIDE has decided that the torch relay will start from India. It is not only the honor of India, but also of chess.”
Modi said that chess is not just a game, but has now become an educational tool.
“In India, wrestling, kabaddi, malkhamb were played to keep fit and for analytical skills our ancestors invented chess. Chess traveled all over the world and became popular. Today, chess has become an educational tool, chess players become problem solvers,” he said.
Modi said yoga and meditation are essential to success at chess.
Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, who also attended the grand event, thanked the Prime Minister for supporting sports.
“It is a great opportunity for India that the country where chess originated is hosted in this country. I thank the Prime Minister for his commitment and support.”
“Every time a torch relay takes place, it starts from India. In 1956, India entered the Chess Olympiad for the first time and it took years to win a medal, but after that he never looked back,” he said.
“Today there is a huge awareness about sport in the country, thanks to our Prime Minister. Not only is he a sports enthusiast, sports enthusiast, he is also an avid sports enthusiast who cares about our athletes.”
The chairman of the world chess organization Dvorkovich said he is grateful to the Indian government for hosting the prestigious event.
“I am delighted to start the new tradition of torch relay in India. Olympic flame is a symbol of Olympic movement and friendship, the same will be the torch relay. In the future, we plan to expand the torch relay around the world, but it will always start from India.
“FIDE is grateful to the Government of India for taking this initiative that will make this game popular. I hope that chess can become a part of the curriculum in all schools in India and the world,” he said.
“India is now the fastest growing chess country in the world. Organizing the Olympiad in India is a dream.”
The ceremony started with the traditional dances of India depicting the 64 squares.
The program also showed the history of the ancient game, its origin and evolution.
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