The Chess Olympiad is set to be organized in Bengal for the very first time. This was announced by FIDE trainer and Bengal Chess Association President Atanu Lahiri during a one-day rapid chess tournament held to mark International Chess Day.
Jointly organized by the state BJP Sports Cell and the Bengal Chess Association at the Kshudiram Anushilan Kendra, the competition saw the participation of around 400 chess players from 15 districts of the state. The inaugural ceremony was attended by the state's Labor Minister Bhaskar Bhattacharya, 2018 Asian Games bridge gold medalist Pranab Bardhan, and BJP Sports Cell chief Dipankar Modak.
Trophies and cash prizes were awarded to the winning boys and girls in the Under-7, 9, 11, 13, and 15 categories. Notably, the Chess Olympiad is scheduled to take place in November this year. Organized especially for children from underprivileged sections of society, the first phase of this Olympiad will give priority exclusively to the eastern states. Saket Mohta, Managing Director of the Merlin Group—the main patron of the rapid chess tournament—stated, "Merlin Group always stands by sports that contribute to the holistic development of children."
