Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai on Thursday, followed by a magnificent cultural display highlighting Tamil culture through the ages. The world’s largest team chess competition, with players from 187 countries, begins on Friday at a hotel in Mamallapuram, south of Chennai. In his inaugural speech, Modi said arrangements for the mega event were made in a short time and promised that those who reached Chennai to take part in the tournament will be treated as esteemed guests. “We will help you bring your best game to the board,” he said. “This is the first time the Chess Olympiad is being held in India, and is coming to Asia for the first time in three decades. And this time, it has the highest number of countries, number of teams, and number of female chess players participating,” Modi said, adding that it is going to be a memorable event. The host of the 44th Chess Olympiad, India, is represented by three teams in each section (Open and Women). That's 30 players altogether, and many of the young stars are the future of chess. 📷Here they are all together in the team uniforms at the special event in their honour. pic.twitter.com/0fPxbusI9v — International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) July 27, 2022 According to Modi, the significance of the Olympiad also stems from the fact that it is being held during the 75th anniversary of India’s independence. He also recalled the significance of chess in Tamil history. “In Tamil Nadu, there are many temples with sculptures portraying different sports… You will even find a temple - Chathuranga Vallabhanathar temple in Tiruvarur - where it is believed that even God has played chess with the princess. So, it is natural that Tamil Nadu has a strong historical connection with chess. This is why Tamil Nadu is called as the chess powerhouse of India. It has produced many Grandmasters,” Modi said. Modi also invoked the significance of a healthy lifestyle. He said the post-pandemic time has made people aware of the importance of fitness and wellness, “both physical and mental,” he said. Also asserting the importance of investing in sports infrastructure, the Prime Minister said “there has never been a better time for sports in India than the present time.” Referring to the impressive performances of Indian athletes at the Olympics as well as other sports events, he said “our talented youngsters from small towns and villages are bringing glory. It is heartening to see women are leading India’s sports revolution.” Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said he had a special interest in hosting the event in the state. “After the scheduled event was moved from Russia, I directed my officers to grab the opportunity if that comes to India. In March, I made the first announcement in this regard… Usually, a minimum of 18 months are required to prepare for such an international tournament. But we formed about 18 committees and managed to organise it in just four months,” he said. Stating that chess is the modern version of the traditional board game, Saturanga Vilayattu, Stalin said the Olympiad is being held near the coastal town of Sadurangapattinam, the home of the game. He also recalled the contributions of Manuel Aaron, the first Indian chess master, and Viswanathan Anand, a five-time world chess champion, from Chennai. Stalin said of the 73 Indian Grandmasters, 26 were from Tamil Nadu. “That means 36 percent of Indian Grandmasters are from Tamil Nadu. It is a game of intelligence and mathematics. And Chennai can be rightly called as the chess capital of India,” he said. Stalin added that the state’s archaeological excavation site, Keeladi, also had evidence of Chaturanga games, similar to chess, such as elephants and horses, and all those essential chess pieces made of terracotta. He said the Olympiad’s veshti-adorning mascot Thambi is the symbol of brotherhood. “It is to indicate that we are all one fraternity. Former chief minister C N Annadurai used to call everyone Thambi. The mascot was named after those memories,” he said. Modi and Stalin were both seen wearing shirts and Veshti. The inauguration ceremony also featured art and cultural performances, such as a special dance-song “Vanakkam Chennai, Vanakkam Chess”. Players from different countries received a musical welcome when they arrived at the venue. Before the inauguration, a musical programme showcased ancient Tamil history in a nutshell. It was directed by Vignesh Sivan and narrated by veteran actor Kamal Haasan. The venue and dais were decked out in various chess pieces. Tamil Nadu governor R N Ravi, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur and Tamil Nadu Minister for Youth Welfare and Sport Development S V Meyyanathan were among the guests who attended the inaugural event.
