Bhubaneswar, July 15: Today, the entire KIIT family comprising students and staff put up an impressive show of support for the upcoming Chess Olympiad at Chennai. Students of both KIIT and KISS lined either side of the main road to the campuses and extended a spectacular welcome to the Chess Olympiad Torch Relay with thunderous applause.
The relay passed through amid unprecedented reception with over 50,000 cheering students lining the road – 30,000 from KISS and 20,000 staff and students from KIIT. KIIT & KISS Founder Prof. Achyuta Samanta, KIIT-DU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sasmita Samanta and Registrar Prof J. R. Mohanty, Chess prodigies Padmini Rout and Aparajita Gochhikar, All Odisha Chess Association President G.C. Mohapatra, Secretary Debabrat Bhatt, All India Chess Federation Joint-Secretary Ranjan Mohanty and were present.
India is the first-ever country to start the Chess Olympiad Torch Relay as per the Olympic tradition. Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India launched the historic torch relay at Indira Gandhi Stadium, New Delhi on 19th June 2022. It will reach Chennai, the host city of the 44th FIDE Chess Olympiad from July 28 – August 10, 2022.
The relay reached Bhubaneswar as a part of its journey through 75 iconic cities of India over 40 days to mark the celebration of the 75th year of the country’s independence. It was first taken to Lok Seva Bhawan upon its arrival at the Biju Patnaik International Airport here. Shri Naveen Patnaik, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha welcomed the torch relay at the Lok Seva Bhawan. Chess Olympiad Organising Committee Member and KIIT-KISS Founder Dr. Achyuta Samanta was also present there to welcome the Chess Olympiad Torch.
Comments are closed.