The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi declared open the 44th Chess Olympiad at JLN Indoor Stadium, Chennai today. Shri R N Ravi, Governor Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Shri M. K. Stalin, Union Minister Shri Anurag Singh Thakur and Shri L Murugan, President of International Chess Federation (FIDE), Mr Arkady Dvorkovich were also present on occasion.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister welcomed all the players and chess lovers from all over the world to India. He noted the significance of the time of the event as it falls during the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’. He added that the most prestigious tournament in chess has come to India, the home of chess.

The Prime Minister noted that the 44th Chess Olympiad has been a tournament of many firsts and records. This is the first time the Chess Olympiad is being held in the place of origin of chess, India. It is coming to Asia for the first time in 3 decades. It has the highest ever number of countries participating. It has the highest ever number of teams participating. It has the highest number of entries in the women’s section. The first ever Torch Relay of the Chess Olympiad started this time, he said.

The Prime Minister highlighted that Tamil Nadu has a strong historical connection with chess. This is why it is a chess powerhouse for India. It has produced many of India’s chess grandmasters. It is home to the finest minds, vibrant culture and the oldest language in the world, Tamil.

The Prime Minister said that sports is beautiful because it has the inherent power to unite. Sports bring people and societies closer. Sports nurtures a spirit of teamwork. The Prime Minister pointed out that  there has never been a better time for sports in India than the present. “India had its best-ever performances in the Olympics, Paralympics and Deaflympics. We achieved glory even in sports where we had not won earlier”, he said. He added that India’s sporting culture is becoming stronger due to the perfect mix of two important factors. The energy of youth and the enabling environment.

The Prime Minister remarked that in sports, there are no losers. There are winners and there are future winners. He wished all the teams and players success in the 44th Chess Olympiad.

Background

The Prime Minister also launched the first-ever Chess Olympiad Torch Relay at the Indira Gandhi National Stadium in New Delhi on June 19, 2022. The torch travelled to 75 iconic locations in the country for over 40 days, traversing close to 20,000 kilometres and culminating in Mahabalipuram, before heading to the FIDE Headquarters, Switzerland.

The 44th Chess Olympiad is being held in Chennai from July 28 to August 9, 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 187 countries participating, this will be the largest participation in any Chess Olympiad. India is also fielding its biggest contingent in the competition comprising 30 players across 6 teams.

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DS/AK