FIDE World Junior Chess Championships inaugurated in KIIT
FIDE World Junior Chess Championships 2016 (for boys & girls under 20 years of age) inaugurated at KIIT University on Sunday.
Inaugurating the Championship, Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Odisha said, Odisha Govt. is giving higher importance to sports and development of sports infrastructure in the state. The successful sports persons in national and international level are getting govt. jobs through direct recruitment. The govt. has also increased incentives for sports persons, he added.
Mr. Patnaik congratulated KIIT University for hosting world championship. Among others Dr. Prasanna Patsani, MP (Lok Sabha); Priyadarshi Mishra, MLA; D. V. Sundar, Vice- President of World Chess Federation; Bharat Singh Chowhan, President, Asian Chess Organization; Sekhar Sahu (FIDE Senior Trainer) & IM; Prof. P. P. Mathur, VC, KIIT University and Dr. Sasmitarani Samata Registra, KIIT University were also present. More than 200 participants and officials from 55 countries have joined the Championship.
The 15-day championship is sponsored by KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India and organized by All Orissa Chess Association under the aegis of All India Chess Federation (AICF) and FIDE. This is the first time in Eastern India; Odisha is hosting the World Junior Chess Championship. Dr. S. C. Jamir, Governor of Odisha has given his kind consent to grace the valedictory to be held on 21st August.