The World Chess Olympiad concluded at Mahabalipuram in Chennai, where the glory of the Pallava kings was revealed to the world. These beaches, steeped in history, will now host the heroic stories of world chess players.
Let us applaud the teams who have raised the banner of participation despite the challenges of the Covid-19 era and achieved success through spirited competition. Despite the wounds of the war, Ukraine won first place in the women’s division of the Olympics; Uzbekistan also won the open category. The performances of the India B team of freshmen who won the bronze in the open category and the India A team which won the bronze in the women’s category are worth mentioning.
India was ready to host the Olympics, which was planned to be held in Moscow, Russia, when it became uncertain in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war. Since the venue decision is usually made earlier, countries have more time to prepare for the biennial Olympics. However, India got just four months. The role played by the Central Government, Tamil Nadu Government and All India Chess Federation in making this a success in a short span of time can be highlighted.
When trying to bring the Olympics to India, the first question was who would provide the required reserve amount. Tamil Nadu is ready for the 2013 World Chess Championship with confidence. The Tamil Nadu government has taken measures on a war footing to provide accommodation and travel facilities for the nearly 2,000 players from 187 countries and their accompanying officials.
Next up is the All India Chess Federation, which ensured representation of the largest number of countries by providing financial assistance to countries that were unable to find money to send players due to the Covid crisis. When the century-long Olympics came to India, the central government also came forward by leading programs such as the torch relay to make it the country’s proud sports festival.
But this time there was an unstoppable flow of people to the Grand Fair of chess, which is known as a sport without cheering spectators. People came from all over India despite the sun and rain to watch the game and take photos with the players. Most of them were students.
A revolution led by Viswanathan Anand spread chess in the veins of Indian youth. Anand’s ascension as the Deputy President of the World Chess Organization is exciting for the fans. It is the necessity of the time that chess organization should be changed instead of being limited to politics. It is certain that Anand’s new status as a five-time world champion will help the players to gain unprecedented importance in the game.
The performance of India’s new talent in world chess is remarkable. The chess olympiad which ended successfully yesterday is no small motivation for the young development. Arkady Dorkovich, president of the World Chess Organization, said that his first goal is to lead ten times as many students to chess as there are now. If so, we have to insist that the next decade of world chess belongs to India. Let Mahabalipuram’s victory race be a guide to that hope.
English Summary: India at Chess Olympiad 2022
