chessbase india logo

Vishy Anand - The True Torch Bearer of Indian Chess

by Shahid Ahmed - 21/06/2022

When a chess enthusiast or a non-chess enthusiast talks about Indian chess, the first name at the tip of their tongue is Vishy Anand. It has been the case for decades. The legend cemented his legacy by making strong moves over the board and having an affable personality off the 64 squares. The first ever torch relay for Chess Olympiad took place at Indira Gandhi International Stadium, New Delhi on Sunday 19th June. Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi handed over the Chess Olympiad Torch to Vishy Anand. While the ceremony was an inaugural event, the entire chess universe knows that the maestro Vishy Anand has been carrying the torch for Indian chess for a long time and the chess universe certainly wants him to continue doing so. Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

The first-ever Torch Relay for Chess Olympiad

The Indian team for the 44th Chess Olympiad in presence of many stalwarts of Indian chess, enthusiasts and follower of the sport, various guests all across the world, became a part of history as the first ever Torch Relay for Chess Olympiad took place. It is absolutely poetic that the first-ever Torch Relay for Chess Olympiad started at the birthplace of chess, India.

Team India with Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

L to R: GM Raunak Sadhwani, IM Vaishali R, GM Abhijit Kunte, IM Bhakti Kulkarni, GM Vishy Anand, PM Narendra Modi, GM Koneru Humpy, GM Vidit Gujrathi, IM Tania Sachdev, WGM Divya Deshmukh, GM Swapnil Dhopade, GM R B Ramesh and WGM Mary Ann Gomes.

PM Narendra Modi hands over the Torch to Vishy Anand | Video: ChessBase India

PM Narendra Modi hands over the Chess Olympiad torch to Vishy Anand | Photo: AICF

Vishy Anand described 'The Moment'

Vishy Anand has figuratively run with torch of Indian chess for all over the world. On Sunday 19th June, he literally ran with Olympiad torch.

Vishy Anand's Olympic torch run at the Olympiad Torch relay | Video: ChessBase India
PM Narendra Modi vs Koneru Humpy - Ceremonial Move at Torch Relay for 44th Chess Olympiad | Video: ChessBase India
GM Koneru Humpy on her game against the Prime Minister of India - Narendra Modi | Video: ChessBase India
Vidit on how it felt when the Prime Minister of India called out his name | Video: ChessBase India
How the AICF put together the entire show for the Prime Minister of India in 12 days - Bharat Singh Chauhan | Video: ChessBase India

The tireless All India Chess Federation team | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Vishy Anand, Koneru Humpy, Dibyendu Barua, Vidit Gujrathi, Tania Sachdev and Prithu Gupta sharing a light moment before the event | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

For more photos, please click here.

Replay the entire Inauguration Ceremony of First-Ever Torch Relay for Chess Olympiad | Video: ChessBase India


Related news:
45th Chess Olympiad Torch Handoff Ceremony begins FIDE's centennial celebration

@ 15/02/2024 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa relay the Chess Olympiad Torch in the final leg with S Vijayalakshmi

@ 29/07/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Vishnu, Akash and Neelotpal relay the Chess Olympiad Torch from Kerala to Andaman and Nicobar Islands

@ 26/07/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Thej Kumar, Stany, Girish and Viani relay the Chess Olympiad Torch in Karnataka

@ 22/07/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Harika, Arjun Erigaisi, Lalit, Rithvik and Rahul relay the Chess Olympiad Torch at Telangana and Andhra Pradesh

@ 21/07/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Kiran, Padmini, Satyapragyan and Anwesh relay the Chess Olympiad Torch in Odisha

@ 18/07/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Mitrabha Guha relays the Chess Olympiad Torch at ten cities across the country

@ 15/07/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Pravin Thipsay carries the Chess Olympiad Torch from Patna to Bodh Gaya

@ 08/07/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Iniyan travels 14000 km in four days to attend Chess Olympiad Torch Relay

@ 07/07/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Saptarshi RoyChowdhury receives the Chess Olympiad Torch at Jhansi

@ 07/07/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Anurag Mhamal relays the Chess Olympiad Torch from Panaji to Bhopal

@ 06/07/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
How to balance chess and studies ft. Vantika Agarwal

@ 05/07/2022 by Himank Ghosh (en)
A Star-Studded Chess Olympiad Torch Relay in Maharashtra

@ 04/07/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Tejas Bakre and Ankit Rajpara relay the Chess Olympiad Torch from Ahmedabad to Daman

@ 03/07/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Shardul and Iniyan receive the Chess Olympiad Torch at Jaipur

@ 01/07/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Gopal relays the Chess Olympiad Torch at Ayodhya and Gorakhpur with Vantika and Tejas

@ 30/06/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Vantika Agrawal carries the Chess Olympiad Torch from Taj Mahal to Varanasi with Tejas Bakre

@ 28/06/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Tejas Bakre and Akash Ganesan relay the Chess Olympiad Torch from Dehradun to Meerut

@ 26/06/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Himanshu Sharma passes the Chess Olympiad Torch to Prithu Gupta

@ 25/06/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Deep Sengupta relays the Chess Olympiad Torch from Dharamshala to Amritsar

@ 24/06/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Pravin Thipsay brings the Chess Olympiad Torch from Srinagar to Jammu

@ 23/06/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Mitrabha Guha wins Olympiad Torch Run Open Rapid Chess Tournament 2022

@ 22/06/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Dibyendu Barua carries the Chess Olympiad Torch from New Delhi to Leh

@ 22/06/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)
Play at the Olympiad Torch Run International Open Rapid Chess Tournament 2022

@ 12/06/2022 by Shahid Ahmed (en)

Contact Us