The entire city of Chennai has now got a black and white look thanks to the promotional activities for the 44th Olympiad which is slated to be held on 28 July at Poonjeri Village in Mamallapuram.
The official mascot ‘Thambi’, a horse clad in the traditional Veshti –Sattai has grabbed the attention of many.
Tambaram Corporation officials too are making efforts to popularise the olympiad so that it will reach more people.
Conducting the olympiad has piqued the interest of Chess enthusiasts and chess players in the neighborhood.
V Jagan of RV Chess academy located in Camp Road said that it is a proud moment for all of us that the Olympiad is taking place in Chennai.
“We did not expect the chess olympiad it to happen in Chennai. This will be a great experience and energy booster for all the chess aspirants in the State. Upcoming chess players can closely watch the game and learn from some of the best players who will be part of this tournament,” he said.
He said that with the kind of promotions that is taking place for the olympiad, more awareness is being created about the game.
“This will create more interest among the young children. Chess is important because it keeps the brain in an active state all the time. More emphasis is always stressed on physical games. But, Playing chess is important especially after a pandemic like corona. When it comes to indoor ganes, Chess is always preferred by many because of its challenging nature. Chess will also help in making life decisions. It will help children calculate the various possibilities before taking a decision,” he added.
Jagan said that Chess training can begin as early as 4 years.
“Children can constantly learn while playing chess. This is why it is important to start at an early age,” he said.
With a record number of participants taking part in the Olympiad, Jagan said that he is eagerly looking forward for the big day.
The grand inaugural ceremony featuring the rich culture and tradition of Tamil Nadu will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister M K Stalin and other special invitees at Nehru Indoor stadium on July 28.
The Olympiad was originally scheduled to take place in Russia but due to the ongoing Russian-Ukraine war, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) started looking for new bidders. India emerged the topper among other countries and won the opportunity to host the high-profile event for the first time. The Union Government provided the hosting rights of the world’s biggest chess event to Tamilnadu.
On June 19, PM Modi flagged off the first-ever torch relay for the Chess Olympiad. The torch was aimed to be taken to 75 cities within the country before arriving in Mamallapuram.
Jagan can be reached at 9994147778.
