Bhubaneswar: Students can structure their thoughts better if they play four hours of chess per week, said India’s chess superstar Viswanathan Anand in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday, while highlighting the cerebral game’s importance for youngsters.
Anand, who inaugurated an International Conference on Social and Educational Chess titled ‘Chess Mahakumbh’ at KIIT University, stressed that chess can be used as a tool to target different audiences, who can benefit in different ways by playing the 64-square game. “It promotes structured thinking,” the Grand Master told a press conference, clarifying that the notion that chess was a ‘royal game’ was outdated and is now being played by the masses.
He said chess was a powerful educational tool, noting that students who regularly played chess often performed better academically.
“Yes, it’s urban centred, but leveraging technology, especially cellphones, it can be played by enthusiasts in rural areas also,” he noted. “Organising statewide tournaments may help,” he added, responding to a query on how chess can be made popular at the grassroots level. He also spoke about newer initiatives linking chess with social development, including its use in prisons, and said he looked forward to seeing the programme expand further.
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) President and former Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Arkady Dvorkovich said the game helps develop critical life skills and cognitive abilities that are difficult to acquire through other means, making it a strong instrument for knowledge-building and personal growth.
FIDE Deputy Chair and former Finance Minister of Latvia Dana Reizniece highlighted the idea behind organising such conferences, saying: “We are not here to raise the next Vishy Anand, but to make children champions of their own lives. Chess can be useful in learning logic, mathematics, languages etc particular for students at early education.”
Highlighting the role of chess in empowering children and aiding patients, Reizniece cited a global survey conducted in 2021 which showed over 25 million children worldwide engaged in chess-based education. She stressed the need to double that number and said KIIT University would play an active role in this global mission. She also proposed developing a university-level academic programme around chess.
Founder of KIIT deemed-to-be University and Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) Founder Dr Achyuta Samanta described the occasion as historic, expressing pride that such a prestigious global conference was being hosted in Odisha for the first time. He also said chess was unique in breaking social barriers, enabling children from all backgrounds to sit together on an equal footing, and informed that thousands of tribal students of KISS were actively playing the game.
Being organised from January 14 to 16 with the support of FIDE and AICF, the chess mahakumbh is a first-of-its-kind mega chess conclave in India. Eminent chess personalities from over 40 countries, along with 80 leading Indian players, and around 5,200 participants, including over 5,000 players from India, making it one of the largest chess-centric academic and social gatherings ever held in the country.
The inaugural day also witnessed the launch of key chess infrastructure and initiatives at KIIT, including the International Chess Hall and the Viswanathan Anand Chess Academy, further strengthening the university’s long-standing commitment to promoting chess at both grassroots and international levels.
All India Chess Federation (AICF) President Nitin Narang, AICF Secretary Dev Patel, and FIDE Event Commission Member Ranjan Mohanty, among others, were present.
