Odisha Cheers for Chess: Top Players and Rising Stars Honored for Outstanding Achievements

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Odisha honoured Grand Masters at a lavish event at Bhubaneswar's Kalinga Stadium on November 15, 2023, showcasing the state's dedication to chess promotion. Chess legends including R Praggnanandhaa, Koneru Humpy, K Sasikiran, S S Ganguly, Abhijit Kunte, and others were honoured for their outstanding contributions to the game of chess at the function, which was attended by Sports Secretary Shri Vineel Krishna.

The Grand Masters, in turn, presented awards to winners of the recent All Odisha Open School Pro-Chess-TA Rapid Tournament. The ceremony was graced by Director, DSYS Siddhartha Das, officials from DSYS, and the Odisha Chess Association.

Expressing gratitude, Sports Secretary Shri Vineel Krishna highlighted the presence of esteemed chess stars as an inspiration for Odisha's aspiring players. He emphasized the state government's dedication to promoting not only Olympic sports but also indigenous games like chess and Kho-kho. Krishna mentioned the recent launch of a chess academy in the state, expressing optimism about the growth of the game.

Renowned chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa commended Odisha's commitment to sports and the ProChessTA, foreseeing a new era for emerging chess talents. The felicitation recognized Grand Masters such as M R Venkatesh, G N Gopal, Vidit Gujarathi, Sasikiran K, Sethuraman SP, Koneru Humpy, and others.

The Grand Masters actively participated in awarding prizes to the winners of the All-Odisha Open School Rapid Chess Tournament, fostering mentorship and camaraderie within the chess community. The event served as a platform for tournament winners to engage in meaningful conversations with the Grand Masters.

This initiative is part of Odisha's broader strategy to promote chess within the state, as evidenced by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's announcement of establishing 100 chess training centers. Notably, the Professional Chess Training Academy (ProChess TA) in Bhubaneswar is the first chess academy launched by a state government in India.