Vikas Kumar
Sri Vijaya Puram, 21 April 2025
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are witnessed a historic sporting moment as the first-ever FIDE Rapid Rating Open Chess Tournament — The Andaman-Nicobar Chess Mahasangram 2025 — unfolded at the iconic Netaji Stadium.
The grand event was inaugurated on April 19 by Dr. Chandra Bhushan Kumar, IAS, Chief Secretary of the A&N Administration, who made the ceremonial first move on the chessboard to mark the beginning of the tournament. He was joined by Mr. L. Kumar, Secretary (Education), and Mr. Vikram Singh, Director (Education), alongside an enthusiastic crowd of chess lovers, sports enthusiasts, and parents of young players.
Following the inauguration, the Chief Secretary, accompanied by the Education Secretary and Director, toured the playing area and appreciated the organizers for hosting the event with such scale and precision. The large turnout of players from various age categories was widely praised.
The tournament was jointly organised by the Directorate of Education and the Department of Sports & Youth Affairs, A&N Administration, in collaboration with the Andaman Nicobar Chess Association. With over 600 registered participants, the matches were held under floodlights in the open ground of Netaji Stadium, creating a unique and vibrant competitive atmosphere.
This landmark event marks a significant step in promoting chess in the Islands and is setting a high benchmark for future FIDE-rated competitions in the region.