1st SOA international Grand Masters Chess festival begins

Bhubaneswar: The 1st SOA International Grand Masters Chess Festival commenced at Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University with the participation of nine Grand Masters and 22 International Masters from around the globe. Mr. Ranendra Pratap Swain, Odisha’s Minister for Agriculture, Farmers’ Empowerment, Fisheries, and Animal Resources, inaugurated the tournament, which offers a total prize pool of Rs. 35 lakh. Mr. Tusharkanti Behera, Minister of State for Sports, Youth Services, Home, Electronics, and IT was also present at the inauguration.  

The All Odisha Chess Association (AOCA), with support from SOA, has organized the event, receiving backing from prominent entities such as the International Chess Federation (ICF), All India Chess Federation (AICF), Sports Authority of India (SAI), and the Odisha government. Mr. Ranendra Pratap Swain, Odisha’s Minister for Agriculture, Farmers’ Empowerment, Fisheries, and Animal Resources, highlighted the remarkable progress in sports infrastructure and funding in Odisha. The state’s budget for sports has surged from Rs. 4 crore in 2000-01 to an impressive Rs. 1217 crore in the latest budget, surpassing the allocation of the union government for sports at Rs. 3397 crore. Mr. Swain attributed this significant increase to the commitment of Odisha’s Chief Minister, Mr. Naveen Patnaik, to sports development.

He emphasized Mr. Patnaik’s role in supporting Indian hockey when it lacked sponsors, noting that the Odisha government is now the official sponsor of the Indian hockey team at all levels. Acknowledging Chess superstar Viswanathan Anand’s impact on popularizing the game, Mr. Swain mentioned that India currently boasts 84 Grand Masters, holding the highest number of rated players globally.

Mr. Behera highlighted Odisha’s commendable performance across various sports, including its role as a host for international and national-level hockey and football competitions. He extended congratulations to SOA and OACA for successfully organizing the international meet.

Presiding over the inaugural program, SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda emphasized the university’s commitment to the comprehensive development of both students and faculty, aiming to establish itself as a prominent sports hub, bolstered by its recent 15th rank in the country according to NIRF.

The tournament participants have been categorized into three groups: A, B, and C, with Category ‘A’ offering a total prize of Rs. 20 lakh, while Categories ‘B’ and ‘C’ will feature prizes of Rs. 7.5 lakh each.

Dr. R. Anantharaman, the tournament’s Chief Arbiter, commended the organizers for enforcing a requirement for players with an ELO Rating of 1900 or higher, ensuring a high level of competition.

Following the latest FIDE rules of Chess and employing the FIDE Swiss system, the tournament comprises 10 rounds for Categories ‘A’ and ‘B’ and 9 rounds for Category ‘C’, concluding on February 4 with a prize distribution ceremony.

The inaugural ceremony also included addresses from Mr. Gobinda Chandra Mohapatra, President of OACA, Mr. Debabrata Bhatta, Secretary of OACA, Mr. Shankar Prasad Mishra, Treasurer of OACA, Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, SOA’s Dean (Students’ Welfare), and Ms. Sunita Barma, SOA’s Sports Officer.