The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Chess wizard Anand lends aura to NIIT

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 20, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Chess wizard Anand lends aura to NIIT

V.V. Subrahmanyam

HYDERABAD: Their joy was unbridled. An encounter which till the other day was just a dream. For all the winners from the NIIT’s Mind Champions Academy, it was an unforgettable evening . Reason? The gentleman who revolutionised chess in India with his amazing performances Viswanathan Anand was there to give away prizes to the winners of the South Zone NIIT-MCA Chess championship and other categories. His presence provided the empathy factor too which can take these future champions a long way up in the circuit .

Interestingly, the MCA conceptualised five years ago took its roots in Hyderabad. “Chess is a mind-game. It requires consistent performance through focus and practice, combined with passion and determination. NIIT-MCA is our initiative to provide a platform for the young talent,” remarked Anand.

The beaming faces of the proud winners – DAV Pubilc School (Safilguda) - of the South Zone Mind champions Academy chess championship may well have reflected the general mood and delight of the select crowd of young players and students who turned up at the venue. That a staggering 20,000 students from 900 government and private schools took part was proof of the growing popularity of the sport and also a tribute to Anand’s initiative with NIIT.

“In fact this is what we were aiming when we launched this MCA here five years ago. And I am particularly pleased with the huge response in Andhra Pradesh and I will not be surprised if someone from this State wins a world championship very soon,” he said to lusty cheers. No wonder Anand, with his disarming smile, was the winner by miles at the function.

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