modi: India’s sporting culture getting stronger: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the opening ceremony of the 44th Olympic Games that Indians are moving towards sports as a mix of enthusiastic youth and enabling environment is brightening the country’s prospects in major sporting events, as seen in the recent Olympics and The other showed victory. Chess Olympiad in Chennai.

The Prime Minister said, “Our talented youth from small towns and villages are bringing laurels to the country. It is heartening to see women at the forefront of India’s sports revolution.”

The 44th Chess Olympiad began in Chennai on Thursday. It was the first to be held in Asia in three decades and a first for India. After the International Chess Federation decided to change the venue from Russia, India had emerged as the host country. Soon after winning the hosting rights, the Tamil Nadu government allocated ₹102 crore for the event, Chief Minister MK Stalin said in the inaugural address.

Prime Minister Modi said that many countries, teams and women participants are involved in this event first of all.

Chief Minister MK Stalin said the state government had constituted 18 sub-committees to oversee the arrangements, and managed to complete it in four months. “Tamil Nadu’s tourism and sport is bound to go up several notches because of the Olympiad chess event,” he said, adding that Tamil Nadu was a natural choice for a chess tournament, noting that 36% of Indian grandmasters are from Tamil Nadu.

Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur said that Chess Olympiad Mashal covered a distance of 27,277 km across the country, receiving support from fans and passing through places like Red Fort in Delhi, Statue of Unity in Gujarat and Punjab, Uttar Pradesh Contains prestigious places. Tirupati, and finally reaching the 75th and final destination Mahabalipuram in Chennai.

More than 2,000 participants from 187 participating countries have arrived in Chennai for the tournament.

Originally published at Pen 18