A record-breaking 187 teams, the highest-ever for any Chess Olympiad, have registered for the showdown in India and in order to even out the number of entries, as per norm, FIDE approved a third team from the host country.
At the key event held in Mumbai, Grandmasters Pravin Thipsay, Abhijit Kunte, and Soumya Swaminathan were present along with officials of the Department of Sports, State Chess Association, chess enthusiasts and budding players.
In Varanasi, the ice Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith Dr Anand K Tyagi received the Torch from Grandmaster Tejas Bakre and handed it over to the Woman Grandmaster and member of Team India at the 44th Chess Olympiad, Vantika