New World Record of 20,000 Simultaneous
Chess Players to be set on December 24
Gujarat organizes ‘Swarnim Chess Mahotsav’ along with
World Chess Champion & NIIT MindChampion Viswanathan Anand
Swarnim Chess Mahotsav 2010 Gujarat, is set to create a new world record
with 20,000 players playing simultaneous chess at Gujarat University Grounds
in Ahmedabad, on December 24th 2010. The record breaking event will be held
in the presence of Mr. Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat, World
Chess Champion and NIIT MindChampion Viswanathan Anand and Mr. Rajendra S Pawar,
Chairman, NIIT Limited. The current record is of 13,446 players at Mexico City,
in 2006.
A unique initiative by the Government of Gujarat, Gujarat State Chess Association
and NIIT Limited, leading Global Talent Development Corporation and Asia’s largest
IT trainer, Swarnim Chess Mahotsav 2010, Gujarat, was announced earlier
this year to popularize the game of chess in the State. NIIT MindChampions Academy
set up Chess Clubs in 1,575 computerized schools of Gujarat to facilitate maximum
participation in the mega chess event.
Speaking on the significance of Swarnim Chess Mahotsav 2010, Mr. Narendra Modi,
Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat, remarked during its launch earlier this year
that, it was his dream to make Chess a popular game in Gujarat. "Chess
can unleash the spirit of sportsmanship in people and make life a festival.
Combining education with sports would lead to success," he said.
World Chess Champion and NIIT MindChampion Viswanathan Anand remarked, “I
am very excited about this event that is set to take the game of chess to new
heights by scripting a new world record. I am sure this unique endeavour will
be a very inspiring milestone for Chess players in Gujarat and across India.”
World Champion Viswanathan Anand at the NIIT MindChampions' Academy
You had to use that picture, didn't you? Of course we did, Vishy.
Mr. Rajendra S Pawar, Chairman NIIT Ltd. said, “20,000 participants,
playing Chess simultaneously will be a new world record.”
The venue layout of the record breaking event promises to be a visual spectacle.
The Gujarat University Grounds of Ahmedabad will be turned into a giant Chess
Board with 64 alternating black & white squares. The players will be segregated
equally within the squares which will either be black or white, just as in a
Chess Board. The imposing 29,000 square meters of Chess Board, created through
perfect colour coordination can be viewed even from the air.
Anand's appearances in India always attract a lot of fan and media attention
Chess Association of Gujarat will provide around 1000 Masters and Grandmasters
for the Swarnim Chess Mahotsav 2010 to be held at Ahmedabad. As a run up to
the grand event, NIIT MindChampions Academy will popularize Chess amongst students
by forming Chess clubs in schools within the State of Gujarat, which will make
available a pool of Chess Players, for participating in the Swarnim Gujarat
Chess Mahotsav.
About Swarnim Chess Mahotsav 2010, Gujarat
Swarnim Chess Mahotsav is a part of the ambitious Khel Mahakumbh, launched
by the Government of Gujarat, to popularize Chess in the State.
Under the guidance of World Chess Champion and NIIT MindChampion Viswanathan
Anand, the mega event attempts to set a new World Record for the maximum number
of simultaneous Chess players in Ahmedabad, India, on December 24, 2010. The
record breaking attempt, jointly organized by State Government of Gujarat, Gujarat
Chess Association & NIIT, will endeavour to get 20,000 players to come together
to play simultaneous Chess, to break the current record of Mexico City’s 13,446
simultaneous Chess players.
About
NIIT MindChampions' Academy
The NIIT MindChampions’ Academy (MCA), a not-for-profit initiative has been
set up as a joint initiative by Grand Master Viswanathan Anand and NIIT Limited,
leading Global Talent Development Organisation and Asia’s largest IT Trainer,
with the objective of promoting Chess in schools to enable development of young
minds. Studies have shown that Chess improves concentration and diligence, thus
helping students performs better academically.
Established in 2002, the Academy has fostered over 11,200 Chess clubs with
over 900,000 students as its members, in schools across India. MCA will cross
the cumulative mark of 1 Million students as its member, by the end of December
2010.
World Chess Champion and NIIT Mind Champion Viswanathan Anand has personally
traveled to various parts across India - Agartala, Guwahati, Hyderbad, Mumbai,
New Delhi, Jaipur, Patna, Raipur, Chennai, Hyderbad, Kolkata, Pune,Ahmedabad
and has visited countries like Africa & China, spreading the message and
motivating the school students to start playing Chess.
Anand playing a simul at the NIIT MindChampions' Academy
Young students get a chance to play the World Champion
NIIT Mind Champions’ Academy conducts the hugely popular Annual Event, known
as Chess Master for school children across India within the NIIT network of
schools where it provides IT education. It is also the first institution in
India to launch a certificate program in Chess under a Central Government University
umbrella- Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).
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