SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, June 24: All India Chess Federation (AICF) has invited six students of Jharkhand schools to attend as guest spectators in the 44th Chess Olympiad to be held at Mahabalipuram (Chennai) from July 28 to August 10.
Joint secretary of All Jharkhand Chess Association (AJCA) Ajay Kumar said that six school students (chess players) who have been selected to witness the mega event are Aditi Raj of Delhi Public School Ranchi, Adhiraj Mitra of Loyola School Jamshedpur, Saara Jain of Junior Carmel School Jamshedpur, Amit Kumar Singh of South Eastern Rail Division School Chakradharpur and Kanishka Mukhi of Kendriya Vidyalaya Chakradharpur.
“As per AICF directive state body has to send names of six students (school players) latest by June 27. The state association has selected the school players and it would be sent to the All India Chess Federation by the general secretary (International Master) Neeraj Mishra. He is at present out of state and after returning, the names of selected students would be sent,” said joint secretary Ajay Kumar.
AICF would provide a 3rd AC ticket to selected students for visiting Mahabalipur for watching Chess Olympiad.
Ajay Kumar said all six students of Jharkhand were selected on the basis of their performance in the state under-15 inter-school chess championship held in Saraikela on June-17-18. The championship was organized on the directive of the AICF. A total of 215 players from different schools including 45 girls participated in it.
International FIDE arbiter Jayant Bhuya who supervised the inter-school championship said that Adhiraj Mitra got the highest 9 points in the championship while Adit Raj 8.5, Saara Jain and Kumar Sankalp got 7.5 each.
Amit Kumar Singh (6.5 points) and Kanishka Mukhi (6 points) were selected from the government school of the state.
“AICF had reserved two seats (one boy and one girl) for a government-owned school. So both the students were selected in the team,” said Jayant Bhuya.
