The first-ever Chess Olympiad Torch Relay reached the city of Kohima in Nagaland on Monday.
In Kohima, the State Minister of Planning and Coordination, Land Revenue, Parliamentary Affairs Neiba Kronu received the torch from Grandmaster Ankit Rajpara.
"1st Ever #ChessOlympiadTorchRelay Update City- KOHIMA: 11th July Hon. Minister of Planning & Coordination, Land Revenue, Parliamentary Affairs, Govt of Nagaland Sh. Neiba Kronu received the torch from GM Ankit Rajpara at DC Old Bungalow #India4ChessOlympiad #AmritMahotsav," tweeted SAI Media.
Earlier on Monday, the torch had travelled to Imphal in Manipur. MLA S Premchandra received the torch from GM Saptarshi Roy at Kangla fort.
"1st Ever #ChessOlympiadTorchRelay Update City- IMPHAL: 10th July Shri S. Premchandra MLA, Kumbi received the torch from GM Saptarshi Roy at Kangla fort. GM took the Torch forward in Manipur amidst the warm reception #India4ChessOlympiad #AmritMahotsav@NBirenSingh," tweeted SAI Media.
On Sunday, the torch had travelled to Guwahati and Shillong.
Earlier, the torch reached Gangtok and Siliguri on Friday.
Kunga Nima Lepcha, Minister of Sports, Govt Of Sikkim received the torch at Sikkim Manipal University. GM Mitrabu Guha took the Torch forward in Gangtok in presence of eminent dignitaries.
Other cities that have been covered so far include Leh, Jammu, Srinagar, Dharamshala, Shimla, Chandigarh, Patiala, Amritsar, Panipat, Gurugram, Kurukshetra, Dehradun, Haridwar, Meerut, Kanpur, Kevadia, Ahmedabad, Dandi, Surat, Jaipur, Daman, Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Panaji, Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Jhansi, Gangtok and Siliguri.
The torch relay was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The torch began its relay from Leh.
The torch will travel to 75 cities for 40 days before it culminates at Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu. Over 200 countries are participating in the Chess Olympiad. Chess grandmasters will receive the torch at various identified venues.
This year, for the very first time, the International Chess Body, FIDE, instituted the Chess Olympiad Torch which is part of the Olympic tradition but was never done in the Chess Olympiad. India is the first-ever country to have the Chess Olympiad Torch Relay.
The 44th edition of the world's biggest chess event will be held in Mahabalipuram near Chennai from July 28 to August 10.
( With inputs from ANI )
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