AICF to set up National academy

By P.K. Ajith Kumar

KOZHIKODE, JULY 31. India is soon going to have a full-fledged National academy for chess. The All India Chess Federation (AICF) will set up the academy here, and it will be operational within three months, according to the AICF secretary and FIDE vice president Mr. P.T. Ummer Koya.

``The principal aim of the academy is to make India a super power in world chess,'' he told The Hindu here on Tuesday. ``We already have many promising youngsters who have done exceptionally well at the international arena. The academy will nourish their talents further, besides training fresh players.''

The academy will have a large library as well as the latest chess software. ``Best of the foreign coaches will be brought to the academy and we would also make use of our experienced International Masters like Manuel Aaron and Raja Ravisekhar,'' Mr. Koya said.

The academy would identify talents from across the country, and there is also a proposal to have separate, smaller training centres in different centres. But their activities will be co- ordinated from the National academy at Kozhikode.

Mr. Koya said the budget of the academy was Rs. 25 lakhs, to begin with. A building had already been identified for the academy in the city.

``The Kerala Sports Minister Mr. K. Sudhakaran and the Kozhikode District Collector Mr. Biswanath Sinha have extended their support to the proposed academy,'' Mr. Koya said. ``I am sure the academy will make India an even stronger country in world chess.''

As part of the golden jubilee celebrations of the AICF, a monthly FIDE-rated tournament would be conducted here, beginning next month. ``The tournaments would feature some of our leading players, including International Masters,'' Mr. Koya said. ``When we conducted such a series of tournaments over a year ago, it proved of great help to our budding players. The tournaments would not only help players get FIDE rating, but also would give them opportunities to test their skills against strong players. When you have a series of tournaments, I am sure it will help our young players improve their game.''

Kozhikode, which till not so long ago used to host more chess tournaments than anywhere else in the country, will indeed soon become very active again. The eighth National rapid chess championship will be held here from September 19 to 23, with a prize fund of Rs. 1 lakh.

The World junior chess championship could also be making a return to the city. ``Kozhikode will host the World junior championship in 2003,'' he said. ``We would have loved to bring the championship earlier than that, but the next two editions of the event have already been allotted to other countries,'' he said.

Kozhikode had hosted the World juniors in 1993 and 1998.

Meanwhile, Argentine Grandmaster Maxim Sorokin has taken over from Kazhakstan GM Evgeny Vladimirov as the coach of the Indian men's and women's teams for the forthcoming Asian chess championships.

The camp for the senior players is in progress at Hotel Asma Tower here.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Sport
Next     : Bhagyashree still in lead