Torch relay for 44th Chess Olympiad reaches Assam’s Dibrugarh  

The first ever torch relay for the 44th Chess Olympiad reached Dibrugarh town in Assam yesterday evening. 

The 72nd Chess Grand master Mitrabha Guha carried the torch relay and handed it over to State sports minister Bimal Borah in Dibrugarh. 

Bimal Borah speaking at the programme said, “Today is a historic and happy day for Dibrugarh District Sports Association because the first ever torch relay for 44th Chess Olympiad reached Dibrugarh. The torch relay first reached at Guwahati on July 10 and I took the torch relay from Chess grand master Mitrabha Guha and it was my honour to take the torch relay.”

Borah added: “For creating awareness about Chess, the torch relay will travel to 75 cities. Over 200 countries will be participating in the Chess Olympiad at Mahabalipuram. We are fortunate that for the first time we get an opportunity to host the mega event. The Chess game was first introduced in India during Gupta Empire and after that it was moved to other countries.” 

Earlier, the Chess Olympiad Torch was brought to the event venue in an open vehicle with Arunachal's gold medal winning weightlifter Sambu Lapung accompanying the torch relay from Naharlagun.

FIDE, the international chess body, for the very first time, has instituted the torch relay, which is part of the Olympic tradition, bur was never done in the Chess Olympiad.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 19 inaugurated the torch relay in New Delhi. 

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich handed over the torch to the Prime Minister who gave it to the legendary Viswanathan Anand.

The 44th edition of the event will be held at Mahabalipuram in Chennai from July 28 to August 10.