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PM launches historic torch relay for 44th Chess Olympiad

Published By : Admin | June 19, 2022 | 17:00 IST
India to host Chess Olympiad for the first time
FIDE President thanks PM for his leadership
“This honour is not only the honour of India, but also the honour of this glorious heritage of chess”
“I hope India will create a new record of medals this year”
“If given the right support and the right environment, no goal is impossible even for the weakest”
“Farsightedness informs India’s sports policy and schemes like Target Olympics Podium Scheme (TOPS) which have started yielding results”
“Earlier youth had to wait for the right platform. Today, under the 'Khelo India' campaign, the country is searching and shaping these talents”
“Give your hundred percent with zero percent tension or pressure”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi launched the historic torch relay for the 44th Chess Olympiad today at Indira Gandhi Stadium, New Delhi. FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich handed over the torch to the Prime Minister, who in turn handed it over to Grandmaster Vishwanathan Anand. This torch will be taken to 75 cities in a span of 40 days before the final culmination at Mahabalipuram near Chennai. At every location, chess grandmasters of the state will receive the torch. Prime Minister Modi also made the Khelo Chess Ceremonial move followed by Ms Koneru Humpy making a move. Union Ministers Shri Anurag Singh Thakur and Shri Nisith Pramanik, Chess players and enthusiasts, Ambassadors, Chess Officials were among those present on the occasion.

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich thanked the Government of India for taking the initiative in the start of the new tradition of torch relay which will popularise and galvanise the game all over the world. “FIDE is grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his presence and honouring us” he said and recalled the Prime Minister’s speech on the occasion of most players playing chess in one place in 2010 on the significance of the game of Chess in building new capabilities and role of combination of education and sports in leading to success. The FIDE President hoped that Chess would become part of all schools across India and all over the world. He said “India today is the fastest growing Chess country today and you have all grounds to be proud of that. We are grateful for your leadership for all the fantastic work that you are doing in the interest of Chess.”

Addressing the gathering the Prime Minister said “Today the first torch relay for Chess Olympiad games is starting from India. For the first time, this year, India is also going to host Chess Olympiad games. We are proud that a sport, starting from its birthplace and leaving its mark all over the world, has become a passion for many countries.” He continued “Centuries ago, the torch of this sport went to the whole world in the form of Chaturanga from India. Today the first Olympiad torch of chess is also coming out of India. Today, when India is celebrating its 75th year of independence, Amrit Mahotsav, this Chess Olympiad torch will also go to 75 cities of the country.” He said “FIDE has decided that the torch relay for each Chess Olympiad game will start from India itself. This honour is not only the honour of India, but also the honour of this glorious heritage of chess. I congratulate FIDE and all its members for this”

The Prime Minister dwelled on the India heritage in Chess. He said “our ancestors invented games like Chaturanga or Chess for analytical and problem solving brains. Chess, via India, reached many countries of the world and became very popular. Today, chess is being used in schools as an education tool for young people, for children.” He noted that in recent years, India is consistently improving its performance in Chess. This year, India’s contingent in the Chess Olympiad is the biggest so far. The Prime Minister expressed the hope that India will create a new record of medals this year.

The Prime Minister talked about many lessons that Chess gives us in our lives. Underlining the need for right support for everyone irrespective of their place in life, the Prime Minister said “Just like every piece of chess has its own unique strength and a unique ability. If you make the right move with a piece and use its power properly, then it becomes the most powerful. This specialty of Chessboard gives us the big message of life. If given the right support and the right environment, no goal is impossible even for the weakest.”

Highlighting another lesson from Chess, the Prime Minister said “Another great feature of the game of chess is farsightedness. Chess tells us that real success comes from far-sighted rather than short-term success.” The Prime Minister pointed out that this lesson informs India’s sports policy and schemes like Target Olympics Podium Scheme (TOPS) which have started yielding results.

Referring to India’s recent successes in Tokyo Olympics, Paralympics, Thomas Cup and boxing the Prime Minister said “There is no dearth of talent in our country. There is no dearth of courage, dedication and strength among the youth of the country. Earlier these youths of ours had to wait for the right platform. Today, under the 'Khelo India' campaign, the country is searching and shaping these talents.” Sports talent is emerging from far flung areas of the country under Khelo India and modern sporting infrastructure is being created in different towns and districts of the country. He also pointed out that sports has been treated as other academic subjects under New Education Policy. He said that many new dimensions of sports like physio, sports science are coming to the fore and many sports universities are being opened in the country.

The Prime Minister acknowledged the pressure of expectations on the player and advised them to give their hundred percent with zero percent tension or pressure. He said that the country sees your hardwork and dedication. As much victory is part of the game, preparing to win again is also part of the game. Referring to the cost of one wrong move in Chess the Prime Minister said if the game can go by one mistake, one can retrieve the situation by the use of brain power, therefore staying calm is of utmost importance. He suggested that Yoga and Meditation can help in this a great deal. He appealed for making Yoga part of daily life and for enthusiastic participation in upcoming International Yoga Day.

This year, for the very first time, the International Chess Body, FIDE, has instituted the Chess Olympiad Torch that is part of Olympic tradition, but was never done in the Chess Olympiad. India will be the first-ever country to have the Chess Olympiad Torch Relay. Notably, taking the Indian roots of Chess to a greater height, this tradition of Torch Relay for the Chess Olympiad will henceforth always begin in India and travel across all continents before reaching the host country.

The 44th Chess Olympiad will be held in Chennai from July 28 to August 10, 2022. The prestigious competition, which has been organised since 1927, is being hosted in India for the first time and in Asia after 30 years. With 189 countries participating, this will be the largest participation in any Chess Olympiad.

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Text of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tri Commissioning ceremony of INS Agray INS Dunagiri and INS Sanshodhak in Kolkata
June 21, 2026
INS Agray, INS Dunagiri, and INS Sanshodhak have been inducted into the Indian Navy: PM
Today, 21 June is also celebrated as World Hydrography Day, And it is a truly remarkable coincidence that on this very day we have commissioned India's most advanced hydrography ship, INS Sandhayak: PM
The country whose maritime strength is robust,its economic and strategic influence will be equally robust; And India understands this reality well, India is preparing itself for this: PM
The journey from INS Vikrant to today is not merely the journey of new warships; It is the journey of India's growing self-reliance, today, INS Agray, INS Dunagiri, and INS Sanshodhak are giving new momentum to that very journey: PM
India has begun to move forward with a new vision for the shipbuilding sector; Special steps have been taken to enhance domestic construction capacity: PM
Shipbuilding, ship repair, and MRO are being viewed as part of a major national mission: PM
India has always regarded the ocean as a medium of cooperation, but India also knows that strength is essential to safeguard peace; Security is necessary to protect prosperity and self-reliance is imperative for building the future: PM
Today, INS Agray, INS Dunagiri, and INS Sanshodhak have joined the Indian Navy as symbols of this very spirit: PM

Honorable Governor of West Bengal Shri R. N. Ravi ji, energetic Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari ji, Chief of Naval Staff Krishna Swaminathan ji, distinguished ladies and gentlemen present here!

Today is special in many ways. The whole world is celebrating International Yoga Day. I am pleased that on this occasion I have had the opportunity to come to this great land of Bengal. This is the land that gave new direction to India’s ideas, that accelerated India’s renaissance, and that for centuries connected India to the world through the sea. Today, on this very soil, an important program linked to Atmanirbhar Bharat, Surakshit Bharat, and Viksit Bharat is taking place. Just a short while ago, INS Agray, INS Dunagiri, and INS Sanshodhak have been inducted into the Indian Navy. Incidentally, June 21 is also celebrated as “World Hydrography Day.” And it is a remarkable coincidence that on this very day, India’s most advanced hydrography ship, INS Sanshodhak, has been commissioned. I extend my warm congratulations and best wishes to the Indian Navy, to all the scientists, engineers, workers associated with these projects, and to my beloved countrymen.

Friends,

The world bears witness that no nation can become a great power without maritime capability. Development is linked to the seas, security is linked to the seas, prosperity is linked to the seas. Today, most of the world’s trade flows through maritime routes. The vast networks of data that connect the world pass beneath the oceans. In the coming times, critical minerals, deep-sea resources, and new sources of energy will also be connected to the seas. Therefore, the stronger a nation’s maritime strength, the stronger its economic and strategic influence. India understands this reality well. India is preparing itself for it. And today is proof of what our capability is, what our skill is.

Friends,

A few years ago, when we dedicated INS Vikrant to the nation, India announced a new chapter of its maritime strength. It was a declaration of our capability before the world. The journey from INS Vikrant to today is not just about new warships. It is also the journey of India’s growing self-reliance. Today, INS Agray, INS Dunagiri, and INS Sanshodhak are giving new momentum to that journey. These three ships are symbols of three important resolves of India. They have been built in India. Their designs were prepared in India. Their construction involved the talent of Indian industries, the skill of Indian engineers, and the hard work of Indian workers. And this is the greatest strength of New India.

Friends,

Today, India does not want to remain merely a buyer in the defense sector. Our military strength cannot be reduced to a marketplace for the world. The identity of our strength lies not in being a market, but in our self-reliance. India wants to be a manufacturer. And the day we become manufacturers, we will also become decisive. We are moving rapidly in this direction. In recent years, more than 40 Made in India warships and submarines have been inducted into the Navy. This means that almost every few weeks, the Indian Navy has gained new strength. Even now, 45 major naval platforms are under construction. This is not just a number. It is proof of India’s industrial capability. It is a signal of India’s future.

Friends,

In the coming years, India’s maritime sector has the capacity to generate millions of new jobs. That is why we do not see the maritime sector as an isolated sector. We see it as the employment engine of a developed India. A modern ship requires hundreds of tons of steel, electronics, machinery, and thousands of components. Behind all this, thousands of companies work - which means thousands of youth get employment. In the construction of the three ships commissioned today, more than 200 MSMEs have contributed. We can imagine the vast number of jobs created in these 200 MSMEs, in these small industries.

Friends,

The time has come for India to enter the next phase of maritime power. Therefore, India has begun to move forward with a new vision for the shipbuilding sector. In recent years, numerous policy reforms have been undertaken. Special measures have been taken to enhance domestic manufacturing capacity. Shipbuilding, ship repair, ship recycling, and MRO are now being seen as part of a major national mission.

Friends,

The incentive package of ₹70,000 crore announced for the shipping sector is not merely an economic decision. It is an investment in India’s maritime future. It is an investment in India’s industrial expansion.

Friends,

Today, India is strengthening its entire maritime ecosystem. That is why India is modernizing its ports, creating new capacity, building new connectivity, expanding river waterways, and developing a multi-modal logistics network. Campaigns like Sagarmala are part of this comprehensive vision. This is reducing the cost of trade, giving new momentum to industries, and creating new opportunities in coastal regions.

Friends,

There was a time when India was known as one of the world’s largest defense importers. This dependence posed both strategic and security challenges. After the government was formed in 2014, we resolved to change this situation. Major policy reforms were carried out, and self-reliance in the defense sector was prioritized. As a result, today new possibilities have emerged in defense design, manufacturing, and exports. Until 2014, the country’s total defense production was around ₹40,000 crore. Today, it has increased to nearly ₹1,80,000 crore.

And friends,

On one hand, defense production in the country has grown rapidly, and on the other hand, our defense exports have increased at an unprecedented pace. Until 2014, India exported defense products worth about ₹700 crore. Today, this figure has risen to nearly ₹40,000 crore. Defense equipment made in India is now reaching more than 80 countries around the world.

Friends,

In the journey of self-reliance, much remains to be done. In my view, this is only the beginning. But the progress achieved in 12 years shows that when policies are clear, when direction is right, and when we work together, such a massive transformation can take place in the country.

Friends,

When we talk about maritime heritage, the name of Bengal naturally comes to mind. This land has also been significant in India’s maritime connections. The currents of the Hooghly have witnessed history being reshaped, new chapters of trade being written, and new journeys of development unfolding. And see the coincidence - this port is named after Bengal’s son, the country’s first Industry Minister, Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee.

Friends,

In the new maritime era that India is moving towards, the role of West Bengal will be very important. Here, there is port capacity, industrial capacity, talent, skill, and the ability to take the maritime economy to new heights. I am confident that in the coming years, West Bengal will become a vital center for India’s Blue Economy, maritime manufacturing, logistics, and coastal development.

Friends,

India has always regarded the sea as a medium of cooperation. But India also knows that strength is equally necessary to safeguard peace. Security is essential to protect prosperity. And self-reliance is indispensable for building the future. Today, INS Agray, INS Dunagiri, and INS Sanshodhak have joined the Indian Navy as symbols of this very spirit. They represent the India that is recognizing its strength in the 21st century, trusting its own capabilities, and moving forward before the world with new confidence, with speed, energy, and determination.

Friends,

On this auspicious occasion, I extend my best wishes to all my companions in the Navy, to all my fellow citizens. Once again, I heartily congratulate the Indian Navy, all scientists, engineers, workers, and the people of the nation. Thank you.