PM Modi launches historic torch relay for 44th Chess Olympiad today

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched the historic torch relay for the 44th Chess Olympiad on Sunday at Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the gathering said, "At launch of torch relay for the 44th Chess Olympiad, I convey my best wishes to all the participants.""Our ancestors invented the games like Chaturanga and Chess for the analytical development of the brain. Children who play Chess are becoming good problem-solvers. In the last 8 yrs, India has improved its performance in Chess," added PM Modi.This year, for the very first time, the International Chess Body, FIDE, has instituted the Chess Olympiad Torch which is part of Olympic tradition but was never done in the Chess Olympiad. India will be the first-ever country to have the Chess Olympiad Torch Relay.Notably, taking the Indian roots of Chess to a greater height, this tradition of Torch Relay for the Chess Olympiad will henceforth always begin in India and travel across all continents before reaching the host country, said an official release.FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich will hand over the torch to Prime Minister, who in turn will hand it over to Grandmaster Vishwanathan Anand.This torch will then be taken to 75 cities in a span of 40 days before the final culmination at Mahabalipuram near Chennai. At every location, chess grandmasters of the state will receive the torch.The 44th Chess Olympiad will be held in Chennai from 28 July 28 to 10 August, 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 189 countries participating, this will be the largest participation in any Chess Olympiad. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.