Asia-Pacific Chess for Visually Challenged in Manipal

Mangalore Today News Network

Manipal, Feb 10, 2017: Addressing presspersons on Feb 9, Thursday, H.S. Ballal, Pro Chancellor of Manipal University, said that after the successful conduct of the 11th Individual Chess Championships for the Visually Challenged in Goa and 14th Chess Olympiad in Chennai, the IBCA unanimously awarded the conduct of the Second Asia Pacific Chess Championship to India.

The International Braille Chess Association (IBCA) Asia-Pacific Chess Championship 2017 for the Visually Challenged will be organised by the All India Chess Federation for the Blind (AICFB), under the aegis of IBCA and All India Chess Federation, at the Manipal University here from March 22 to 31.

Manipal University had the honour to play host to this event which is being conducted for the second time since its inception in 1951, in India. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is expected to inaugurate the event and Minister of State for Fisheries, Youth Services and Sports, Pramod Madhwaraj will be present.

The championship will be part of the diamond jubilee celebrations of Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT), he said. The Adani Group was co-sponsoring the event.

Rajgopal Shenoy, Associate Dean of Kasturba Medical College, said that the championship was one of the biggest international chess events for persons with visual disabilities. National champions and top players will be representing the countries of the Asia-Pacific region.  “The championship will be webcast live and a Radio Chess app has been designed to receive live commentary on internet radio as well,” he said.