Excelsior Sports Correspondent
LEH, June 20: Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Radha Krishna Mathur received the torch from Grand Master (GM) Dibyendu Barua during the first ever torch relay for Chess Olympiad-a biennial Chess tournament organised by FIDE at Leh Palace, here today.
India is hosting the Chess Olympiad at Chennai from July 28 to August 10.
The torch, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at New Delhi on June 19 reached Leh today and shall be taken from Leh Palace till Shanti Stupa via Leh Main Market and Sankar.
Terming the occasion as historic for Ladakh as well as for the country, LG Mathur stated that it is an honour for the country to host the 44th Chess Olympiad in which Chess players from 189 countries will take part. He said that the Chess Olympiad torch relay is a tribute to India for inventing the game of ‘Chaturanga’ which later took the form of Chess.
Praising GM Dibyendu Barua for being the 2nd Grand Master after Vishwanathan Anand to receive the title, LG Mathur stated that the players from Ladakh are privileged to get the opportunity to play rapid Chess matches with GM Barua. He said Ladakh is proud to be the second place after Delhi to receive the torch.
He also encouraged the youth to take up Chess as a game and make Ladakh proud. He also wished luck to the Indian team for the Chess Olympiad. The Grand Master Barua briefed about the Chess Olympiad to be held in India for the first time and thanked FIDE for initiating the torch relay.
GM Barua played rapid Chess matches with players from Ladakh.
Advisor Umang Narula; Secretary YSS, Ravinder Kumar; Deputy Commissioner Leh, Shrikant Balasaheb Suse; Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Leh, PD Nitya; Councillor, Lower Leh, Tsering Namgial and many others were present during the event.
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