Bengal will host the first-ever Chess Olympiad. Atanu Lahiri, the president of the Bengal Chess Association and a FIDE trainer, made this announcement during a one-day, fast-paced chess competition to commemorate International Chess Day. About 400 chess players from 15 districts of the state participated in the competition, which was jointly organized by the state BJP Sports Cell and the Bengal Chess Association at the Kshudiram Anushilan Kendra. BJP Sports Cell chief Dipankar Modak, 2018 Asian Games bridge gold medallist Pranab Bardhan, and the state’s Labor Minister Bhaskar Bhattacharya attended the inauguration ceremony.

The winning boys and girls in the Under-7, 9, 11, 13, and 15 divisions received trophies and cash prizes. Notably, this year’s Chess Olympiad is set for November. The first phase of this Olympiad, which is specifically designed for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, will prioritize the eastern states.

The primary sponsor of the fast chess competition, Saket Mohta, Managing Director of the Merlin Group, said, “Merlin Group always stands by sports that contribute to the holistic development of children”.

A great initiative indeed!!

Priyanka Dutta