PANAJI
The Goa Chess Association is entering the 40th year of its inception on December 23. As such, the state governing body for chess, has planned an elaborate celebration including Grand Masters tournament and felicitation of players among others, informed the state chess association president and Curchorem MLA, Nilesh Cabral. A function will be held on Saturday at the Institute Menezes Braganza Hall, Panaji, at 4 p.m.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and Sports Minister Babu Azgaonkar will be present for the felicitation ceremony where organisers, title players, state champions in open category, women's category, national medallists, winners, sponsors, will be honoured. Industrialists Shrinivas Dempo and Dilip Salgaocar will also be felicitated.
"To implement chess in school in maximum number of private schools and work with the government to extend the same to all schools; to organise Grand Master tournament where top GMs from Europe and USA will participate alongwith around 1200 chess players from all over the country; release the souvenir; to train and recruit additional chess coaches at various taluka centres; to set and regularise the chess academies and also to train private coaches and PE teachers to meet the requirement of training; to provide office space and pursue the affiliation with SAG of all talukas so that they will be self-sufficient in carrying out their development programmes at taluka level; to organise annual coaching from Grand Masters to top players and also to the players who are excelling at state and national level; to pay the allowances to the players who are participating at Nationals before they leave for the event; to promote chess among public by providing facilities and computers at municipalities, panchayats, public places, gardens, bus-stands, railway stations, with the help of corporates; to create best infrastructure for tournament," revealed Cabral.
