Chess Olympiad Stamp unveiled to celebrate ‘World Chess Day’

Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta said that the popularity of the game would grow in the country with the hosting of the Olympiad.

AICF General Secretary Bharat Singh Chauhan, AICF President Sanjay Kapoor and Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta during the Chess Olympiad commemorative stamp launch event at a city hotel in New Delhi on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

A commemorative stamp to mark the 44th Chess Olympiad to be staged in Mamallapuram, Chennai, from July 28 to August 10, featuring 187 countries, was released here on Wednesday.

‘’It is an absolute honour that we are organising this event in India. Chess is our very own sport’’, said the Union Minister of State for Communications, Devusinh Jesingbhai Chauhan, the chief guest at the function.

‘’The Chess Olympiad stamp release is very special and prestigious’’, said the Tamil Nadu Sports Minister, Siva V Meyyanathan.

‘’This is an historic occasion as the Department of Posts has issued a commemorative postage stamp on 44th Chess Olympiad, just days before the commencement’’, said the president of the All India Chess Federation (AICF), Sanjay Kapoor.

Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta, who was part of the stamp release function, said that the popularity of the game would grow in the country with the hosting of the Olympiad.

‘’Truly a proud moment as an Indian citizen and a chess player. This is a motivational booster for us to give our best for the country and win a medal’’, said Abhijeet Gupta.

India will field three teams in the open section, and two in the women’s section, for a total of 25 players representing the country.