WORLD RECORDS: INDIA RECORDS: SPORT – CHESS: First Time in Nearly 100 years India is Hosting the prestigious Chess Olympiad. PM Modi flags off the First-ever Torch Relay Instituted by FIDE, the International Chess Body for the Chess Olympiad.

In nearly 100 years of the history of the Chess Olympiad, it’s the first time that India will be hosting the prestigious event.

In nearly 100 years of the history of the Chess Olympiad, it’s the first time that India will be hosting the prestigious event.

The international chess body, FIDE, for the very first time has instituted the torch relay, which is part of the Olympic tradition, but was never done in the Chess Olympiad.

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich handed over the torch to the prime minister who gave it to the legendary Viswanathan Anand.

The torch will be taken to 75 cities in a span of 40 days before arriving in Mahabalipuram near Chennai. At every location, chess grandmasters of the state will receive the torch.

Leh, Srinagar, Jaipur, Surat, Mumbai, Bhopal, Patna, Kolkata, Gangtok, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Thrissur, Port Blair and Kanyakumari are among the 75 cities.

In nearly 100 years of the history of the Chess Olympiad, it’s the first time that India will be hosting the prestigious event. With 188 countries registered for the upcoming Olympiad, the country is set to witness a huge congregation of nations for a sporting event for the first time on Indian soil.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)