Grandmaster Tej Kumar carry the relay torch ahead of the 44th Chess Olympiad to be held in Chennai, at Town Hall during the welcoming ceremony in Mangaluru on July 19. | Photo Credit: H.S. MANJUNATH
Mayor Premananda Shetty said here on Tuesday that more people should participate in chess tournaments or competitions which was born in the country.
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Speaking after welcoming the 44th Chess Olympiad Torch Relay (electronic one) at Kudmul Ranga Rao Town Hall, the Mayor said that he is happy that the Union government is encouraging chess in the country.
The 44th Chess Olympiad is scheduled in Chennai from July 28 to August 10. The relay to celebrate India as the birthplace of chess, has been traversing through 75 cities of the country. It will reach Chennai on July 27.
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It has already traversed through identified cities in the Northern, Western, Central and Eastern India.
This is for the first time in the almost 100-year history of Chess Olympiad that the World Chess Organisation, FIDE, has introduced the tradition of the Olympiad flame.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had flagged off the Torch Relay from the Indira Gandhi Indoor stadium, Delhi on June 19. FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich had handed over the Olympiad Torch to Mr. Modi who in turn had handed it over to five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Karnataka Bank Mahabaleshwara M.S., the Vice-Chancellor of Yenepoya Deemed to be University M. Vijaya Kumar, president of Karnataka State Chess Association Rajagopala Shenoy, the Grand Masters Tej Kumar M.S. and Stanley G. A. and international master Viani Antonio D’cunha were present in the town hall here on the occasion.