Historic Chess Olympiad Torch Relay Set To Travel To 75 Cities Across India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to launch the first-ever Chess Olympiad Torch Relay for the 44th edition of the event on Sunday at the Indira Gandhi International Stadium in New Delhi. The inaugural edition of the Chess Olympiad Torch Relay will visit 75 cities across the country as the All India Chess Federation (AICF) revealed the route map on Friday. The International Chess Federation (FIDE) introduced an Olympic-style Torch Relay tradition for its Olympiad from this year's event and named India as the starting flame point for each edition, commemorating the popularity of chess in the country where the sport originated.

"I'm really excited to be part of this historic moment. I was always fascinated by the Olympic Torch Relay concept and now we also have one in chess. But the most amazing thing about it is, that it will always start in India. And as an Indian, I feel really proud about this fact," said the five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand while addressing the media during a press conference.

AICF President Sanjay Kapoor and AICF Secretary and Olympiad Director Bharat Singh Chauhan were also present at the event.

Starting from the national capital, the historic Olympiad Torch Relay will travel across the country before reaching its destination--Mahabalipuram on July 27. Leh, Srinagar, Jaipur, Surat, Mumbai, Bhopal, Patna, Kolkata, Gangtok, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Thrissur, Port Blair and Kanyakumari will be among the 75 cities.

"Chess Olympiad Torch Relay is a great medium to popularise the sport in India. We have ensured that it visits and covers every corner of the country, inspiring many individuals. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for everyone. I believe this will contribute immensely