Saturday, May 10 2025 | Time 12:18 Hrs(IST)
SportsPosted at: May 9 2025 10:03PM


16th KIIT International Chess Festival begins with Grandmasters from 42 countries

Bhubaneswar, May 9 (UNI) The 16th KIIT International Chess Festival 2025 was inaugurated on Friday under the aegis of the All-India Chess Federation (AICF), drawing over 1,200 participants.
These include international arbiters, international masters, and grandmasters from 42 countries, including India.
For the first time, players from 42 different nations are participating in an international chess tournament hosted in India. The event offers a total prize pool of Rs.60 lakhs, making it the second-highest prize purse ever awarded in a chess tournament in the country.
A total of 436 prizes will be distributed across three categories.
In Category 'A' (open to all), the prize money amounts to Rs.30 lakhs. Categories 'B' (rated below 1900) and 'C' (rated below 1700) will each have prize pools of Rs.15 lakhs.
While inaugurating the event, renowned Indian tennis star, Olympian, and Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Awardee, Leander Paes, praised the vision of Dr. Achyuta Samanta, Founder of KIIT & KISS, calling it truly unique for combining education with sports excellence.
“The sports infrastructure and training facilities at KIIT & KISS are outstanding,” Paes remarked, lauding Dr. Samanta's role in bringing international sporting events to India.
He also expressed gratitude to Dr. Samanta for establishing KIIT & KISS as leading hubs of sports education.
Grandmaster and FIDE Commissioner for Chess in Schools, Abhijit Kunte, highlighted the difficulty of organising an event of such scale consistently for 16 years.
Former AICF Vice President Bhavesh Bhai Patel said the festival is not only a source of pride for Odisha but for the entire nation.
Dr. Achyuta Samanta, Founder of KIIT & KISS, emphasised that both institutions have played a significant role in promoting chess and elevating Odisha’s status on the global chess map.
UNI DP ARN
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