PM Modi to inaugurate 44th Chess Olympiad, CM Stalin inspects arrangements 
Tamil Nadu

PM Modi to inaugurate 44th Chess Olympiad, CM Stalin inspects arrangements

PM Modi it was an honour that the tournament was being held in India, “that too in Tamil Nadu, which has a glorious association with chess.”

Written by : PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai on Thursday, July 28, with the marquee event being hosted by India for the first time. The Olympiad is being held in India for the first time ever, after being moved out of Russia and has attracted a record number of entries in the Open (188) and women's (162) sections. The sporting event will be held in nearby Mamallapuram, about 50 km from Chennai from July 28 to August 10. 

PM Modi said he was looking forward to being in the city for the inauguration of the event. "This is a special tournament and it is our honour that it is being held in India, that too in Tamil Nadu, which has a glorious association with chess," the PM tweeted. Meanwhile, superstar Rajinikanth said he loves chess the most and extended his greetings to chess players. On his Twitter handle, using the #ChessOlympiad2022 hashtag, the top actor said, "An indoor game I love the most … wishing all the chess minds the very best .. god bless.” Rajinikanth also posted an undated photograph of him playing chess and appearing in a pensive mood. 

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday inspected the venues of the Chennai Chess Olympiad in Chennai -- the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi would inaugurate the event -- and Poonjeri in Mamallapuram where the event would be conducted and reviewed the arrangements being made for it. 

CM Stalin also inaugurated an exquisite sculpture, carved out by artisans of the state-owned Poompuhar (Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation) at the entrance to Mamallapuram. The 45-foot high piece of art is meant to showcase the talent of the handicraft artisans for which the heritage town is famous, in addition to the ancient Shore Temple and an array of monuments. Cutouts of 'Thambi', the Olympiad mascot — a knight wearing traditional Tamil attire, could be spotted at various places in Chennai and near the venue at Mamallapuram as the state government and the All-India Chess Federation (AICF) went on a promotion overdrive.

The Olympiad was moved out of Russia after it invaded neighbouring Ukraine earlier and was allotted to India with Chennai being chosen as the venue. Players including Anand feel that the city hosting the event would have a great impact on chess in Tamil Nadu. Some of the game's biggest names will match their wits at the Olympiad. The tournament will feature three Indian teams each in the Open and women's events. The legendary Viswanathan Anand will not be playing but will be seen in the role of a mentor to the players. The Olympiad has captured the imagination of the chess-lovers and general public alike and the Tamil Nadu government has gone all out to promote the showpiece event.

The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) launched the "Hop-on and Hop-off" free tours from Chennai to Mamallapuram for the benefit of chess lovers and the public. The TTDC would operate five buses connecting 14 major tourist locations on the ECR from July 28 to August 10, an official release said. Chepauk-Tiruvallikeni legislator Udhayanidhi Stalin inaugurated an incentive trip for winners of the inter-school students' chess competition held in connection with the Chess Olympiad. The winners, studying in the government-run schools, were taken on a free trip to Bengaluru by a special flight from here.

Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, Chief Minister MK Stalin and Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur among others will be present during the opening ceremony at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor stadium in the city. 

Read: Chess Olympiad 2022: The teams, India’s chances, and everything else you need to know