Former Union Sports Minister and Member of Parliament Anurag Thakur made a special appearance at the FIDE World Cup 2025 on Tuesday, praising the All India Chess Federation (AICF) not only for bringing the tournament back to India after two decades but also for its sustained efforts to position the country as a global chess powerhouse.
Thakur, a seasoned sports administrator and former BCCI president, made the ceremonial first move in the quarterfinal match between Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi and China’s Wei Yi.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the World Cup, Thakur said, “This is a historic moment not only because we are hosting the World Cup after two decades but also because the trophy is now named after Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand. It’s not a trophy for the coming decades but a trophy for the centuries to come.”
Anand won the first two editions of the FIDE World Cup in 2000 and 2002 and has been the face of Indian chess for over three decades. In recent years, however, a wave of young Indian talents has risen on the global stage, highlighted by India winning both the Open and Women’s Olympiad gold medals and Gukesh Dommaraju becoming world champion in 2024, mirroring Anand’s achievement.
Thakur highlighted the AICF’s role under president Nitin Narang in accelerating the sport’s development through initiatives such as hosting major international events and offering financial support to players.
“I think the biggest step taken by the All India Chess Federation in the last two years is providing annual grants to 42 players,” he said, adding that the federation’s collaborative approach to developing the sport is a model worth emulating.
Thakur also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pledge to host the 2036 Olympics in India, noting that national federations organising major international events was a move in the right direction.
–IANS